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THE 

ti'tiVERSAL RESTOBATIOW. 

EXHIBITED IN 

FOUR DIALOGUES 



BETWEEN A 

MINISTER AND HIS FRIEND ; 

COMPREHENDING THE SUBSTANCE OF SEVERAL REAL 
CONYERSATIONS WHICH THE AUTHOR HAD WITH 
VARIOUS PERSONS BOTH IN* AMERICA 
AND EUROPE, ON THAT 




INTERESTING SUBJECT 

CHIEFLY DESIGNED 



FBLLT TO STATE, AND FAIRLY TO ANSWER THE MOST 
COMMON OBJECTIONS THAT ARE BROUGHT 
AGAINST IT, FROM THE 

SCRIPTURES. 



BY ELHANAN WIX^CHESTER. 



To this Edition is prefixed, a brief account of the means and mmvner of 
the author's cmhracing these seni im£7its ; intermixed with some 
SKETCHES of his LIFE during four years. 



PUBLISHED BY BENJAMIN B. MUSSEY. 
1831. 




From the Critical Review^ for September j 1788. 

Our Author^ with great candor and extensive knowledge 
of the subject, discusses the doctrine of eternal punish- 
ments. He thinks that there will be a period when every 
sinner will be restored to the Divine favor. This doctrine 
is perfectly consistent with the benevolence of the Deity. 
It is supported by many wise and good men ; nor is there 
any reason to suppose that it will be perverted to serve the 
purposes of vice ajid immorality. Mr. Winchester^ in 
his defence of it, shews much charity, much humanity, and 
no little share of learning. The fifth Dialogue alone, which 
relates to the design and tendency of punishment^ might 
furnish some little foundation for a difference of opinion; 
but in a question so greatly above human attainment, the 
mind would be lost in the inquiry , and not greatly benefit- 
ted by the discussion. The question of the Universal Res- 
toration, must be examined as Mr. Winchester has done, 
by the word of God, as revealed at different timeS; and 
particularly in the Gospel." 

N. B. A considerable part of the fifth Dialogue, being 
printed in the Lectures on the Prophecies, is left out of 
this edition, and the remaining part is enclosed in the 
fourth Dialogue. 




HoAG & Atwood's Press Concord, n.h. 



TO THE READER. 

As I now present my Friends and the Public 
with a new edition of the Dialogues on the Uni- 
versal RestoratioNj which by many has been 
long desired, perhaps it may be acceptable to 
some for me to give a brief account how I came 
first to the knowledge of this part of the counsel 
of God, which I have not shunned freely to de- 
clare, both by word and writing, as I have found 
opportunity and necessity. 

I think it was in the beginning of the year 
1778, being in South-Carolina, upon the river 
Pee Dee, where I was at that time minister, 
that I called to see a friend, who first put into 
my hands that valuable book written by Paul 
Siegvolk, and which is called The Everlasting 
Gospel^ of which I have lately published a new 
edition. I was desired to tell what it meant to 
hold forth, as my friend could not tell by any 
means what to make of it on account of the 
singularity and strangeness of the sentiments 
therein contained; although the language is 
very plain and clear, and by no means dark, 
mystical or obscure. 

I opened the book as I was desired, and dip- 
ping into it here and there, for a half an hour 
perhaps, was very soon able to tell what the Au- 
thor aimed at, viz. that there would be a final 



iv 



PREFACE, 



end of sin and misery, and that ail fallen crea- 
tures would be restored by Jesus Christ to a 
state of holiness and happiness, after such as 
were rebellious had suffered in proportion to 
their crimes. I had never seen any thing of the 
sort before in all my life; and I seemed struck 
with several ideas that I glanced over, such 
as the inconsistency and impossibility of both 
good and evil always existing in the uni- 
verse : and especially his observations upon 
the word eternal or everlastings shewing that it 
was used for what never had a beginning, and 
would never have an end, as the being and per- 
fections of God; and that it v.as also applied 
to things which had a beginning, but should 
never have an end, as the being and happiness 
of the righteous ; and, that it v/as also fi-equent- 
iy used to express things, times and seasons 
which had both beginning and end; which he 
therefore called perbt/ica/ eternities^ and gave a 
great number of instances of this sort, which 
could not be denied; and he contended that 
the everlasting pumskmcnt threatened to the 
wicked, did not belong to the first nor to the 
second, but to the third class of these durations. 

But as I was only desired to tell what the au- 
thor meant, when I had satisfied my friend in 
that respect, I laid the book down, and I behevc 
we both concluded it to be a pleasant, ingenious 
hypothesis, but had no serious thoughts of its 
being true; and for my part, I determined not to 
trouble myself about it, or to think any more of 
the matter. And as the book had been sent a 
considerable distance for my friend to read, I 
suppose it was soon after sent back; for I saw it no 



PREFACE. 



V 



more, nor heard any thing farther about it. The 
foiiowing summer I went a journey into Virgin- 
ia, and happening to mention the subject to a 
minister there, he told me that a few years be- 
fore, it had been a subject of controversy in the 
puphc papers, between a clergyman who defend- 
ed, and a gentleman of the law, who denied the 
proper endless eternity of punishment ; and he 
told me that this gentleman who denied it, had 
advanced, that the translators of the Bible had 
rendered the very same Greek word, by very 
different English words, sometimes rendering it 
forever J and sometimes ivorldj and that if they 
had uniformly rendered it by one English word, 
it would have been evident to all readers, that no 
argument for endless miserij, could have been 
drawn therefrom. I was told also while I was 
in Virginia, that a clergyman of the Episcopal 
Church, had a few years before, given out that 
he had some wonderful thing to make known to 
his hearers, which he would preach upon some 
Sunday, but did no mention when. This raised 
the public curiosity, and great numbers attended 
his place of worship in hopes of hearing what 
this wonderful thing might be ; but for a consid- 
erable time the matter was undiscovered. But 
at last he gave out, that on the next Sunday he 
would open this great secret. Vast numbers of 
} e >ple flocked to hear what it could be. When 
he came t > declare what it was, behold ! it was 
a wonderful piece of news indeed, such as had 
never been heard before in any pulpit in Vir- 
ginia. It was nothing short of the doctrine of 
the Restorafion. I think, to the best of my re- 
membrance, they told me, that he opened and 
1* 



PREFACE. 



enlarged upon it for two Sundays^ and never 
preached any more, being immediately after 
seized with sickness, which terminated in his 
death. And this was generally esteemed as a 
judgment that fell upon him for daring to preach 
sucii a wicked, false, and dangerous opinion : 
and that God cut him off from the land of the 
living, to testify his displeasure against him ; and 
to terrify others from daring to follow his exam- 
ple, or believe his sentiments. But perhaps this 
might have been some worthy, learned, pious 
man, who had long concealed this grand truth in 
his heart, and had derived much satisfaction 
therefrom, and longed to proclaim it to others, 
for their good. — And, at last, notwithstanding 
the opposition that he might expect, resolved so 
to do ; and accordingly was enabled, just before 
his time came to depart out of this world, to 
bear a faithful testimony to this most grand and 
important of all God's purposes. And having 
performed his duty, his master called him to re- 
ceive his reward, and gave him the glorious plau- 
dit of, Well done, thou good and faithful ser- 
vant ; — enter thou into the joy of thy Lord," 

As for the vain judgments of men, they are 
not to be regarded. For they know not the 
thoughts of the . Lord neither understand they 
his counsel." But the souls of the righteous 
are in the hand of God, and there shall no tor- 
ment touch them. In the sight of the unwise 
they seemed to die ; and their departure is taken 
for misery. And their going from us to be ut- 
ter destruction ; but they are in peace. For 
though they be punished in the sight of men, yet 
is their hope full of immortality. And having 



PREFACE. 



vii 



been a little chastised, they shall be greatly re- 
warded ; for God proved them, and found them 
worthy for himself. As gold in the furnace hath 
he tried them, and hath received them as a burnt- 
offering. And in the time of their visitation, 
they shall shine, and run to and fro, hke sparks 
among the stubble. They shall judge the na- 
tions, and have dominion over the people, and 
their Lord shall reign for ever. They that put • 
their trust in him shall understand the truth ; and 
such as be faithful in love shall abide with him ; 
for grace and mercy is to his saints, and he hath 
care for his elect." " But though the righteous 
be prevented v/ith death, yet shall he be in rest." 

I am apt to think, therefore, that this minister 
•was one of uncommon faith and love, and as he 
believed God^ so he loved mankind, and wished 
them to know the amazing riches of their Re- 
deemer's love towards them ; and when he had 
openly delivered this testimony, he was called to 
his rest. 

Indeed, if the enemies of this doctrine had 
been true prophets, I should have died and gone 
to hell long ago ; for no sooner was it known I 
had embraced it, but some gave out that I would 
not live a year ; but I have already lived eleven. 
One of my old fliends desired me to take par- 
ticular notice of what he said, which he express- 
ed in these v/ords, '^Mind what I tell you. In six 
months from this time, you will turn Deist, and 
deny all revealed rehgion ; and in twelve months 
you will turn Atheist, deny the being of God, 
and abandon yourself to all kinds of open wick- 
edness." Blessed be God, this has also proved 
false. And they generally seemed to agree to 



via 



preface! 



prophesy certain damnation to me whenever I 
should depart out of this world. But I trust 
this is equally false, — " For I know whom I have 
believed, (or trusted) and am persuaded that he 
is able to keep thvt which I have committed un- 
to him against that day." 

But to return to my narrative: 
Sometime after I returned back to South-Car- 
olina, a physician with whom I had been ac- 
quainted in Virginia, came to live in the parish 
where I was minister; and among his books I 
found the Everlasting Gospel by Paul Siegvolk ; 
this was the second copy that had fell in my way, 
and I read a little more therein, but as yet had 
not the least thought that ever I should embrace 
his sentiments; yet som3 of his arguments ap- 
peared very conclusive, and I could not wholly 
shake them off, but I concluded to let them alone, 
and not investigate the matter; and therefore 1 
never gave the book even so much as one cur- 
sory reading, till with great difficulty I procured 
one in the city of Phiiidelphia, more than two 
y ears afterwards . 

In the year 17 7 9, I found myself much stirred 
up to exhort my fellow creatures to repent, be- 
lieve, and obey the Gospel, and began to adopt 
a more open and general method of preaching 
than I had used for some years before; having 
been deemed one of the most consistent Calvin- 
ists upon the continent, much upon the plan of 
Dr. Gill, whom I esteemed almost as an oracle. 
But now my heart being opened, and viewing 
the worth of sotils, I telt great compassion to- 
wards them, and invited them with all my misjht 
to fly for mercy to the arms of Christ, who died 



PREFACE, 



ix 



for them, and who was willing to save them. I 
was gradually led into this way of preaching, 
without considering any thing about its consisten- 
cy with strict Calvinism, but finding myself ever 
happy and comfortable in my own mind, and that 
this method of preaching was highly useful, 1 
continued to go in the same course. 

About this time I began to find uncommon 
desires for the conversion and salvation of the 
poor negroes, who were very numerous in that 
part of the country; but whom none of my pred- 
ecessors, that I could learn, had ever taken 
pains to instruct in the principles of Christianity; 
neither had any single slave, either man, or wo- 
man been baptized until that summer, in the 
whole parish (which was very large) that I ever 
heard of. 

The prejudices w^hich the slaves had against 
Christianity, on account of the severities prac- 
tised upon them by professing Christians, both 
ministers and people, might be one principal 
reason why they could not be brought to attend 
to religious instruction. But they had no pre- 
judice against me on this score, as I never had 
any thing to do with slavery, but on the contra- 
ry condemned it; and this being pretty general- 
ly known, operated so upon the minds of those 
poor creatures, that they shewed a disposition to 
attend my ministry, more than they had ever 
shewed to any other. But still I never had ad- 
dressed them in particular, and indeed had hard- 
ly any hopes of doing them good. But one eve- 
ning seeing a number of them at the door of 
the house, where I was preaching, I found my- 
eelf constrained as it were, to go to the door, 



X 



PREFACE^ 



and tell them, that Jesus Christ loved them, 
and died for them, as well as for us white people, 
and that they might come and believe in him and 
welcome. And I gave them as warm and press- 
ing an invitation as I could, to comply with the 
glorious gospel. This short discourse address- 
ed immediately to them, took greater effect than 
can be well imagined. There were about thirty 
from one plantation in the neighborhood pres- 
- ent; (besides others) these returned home, and 
did not even give sleep to their eyes, as they af- 
terwards informed me, until they had settled 
every quarrel among themselves, and according- 
to their form of marriage, had married every 
man to the woman with whom he lived; had re- 
stored whatever one had unjustly taken from an- 
other; and determined from that time to seek 
the Lord diligently. From that very evening 
they began constantly to pray to the Lord, and 
so continued; and he was fond of them. I con- 
tinued to instruct them, and within three months 
from the first of June, I baptized more than thir- 
ty blacks belonging to that plantation, besides as 
many others, as in the whole made up one hun- 
dred, of which sixty-three were men, and thirty- 
seven were women, all which were born in Afri- 
ca, or immediately descended from such as were 
natives of that unhappy country. 

My preaching was not only useful to the poor 
slaves, but also to great numbers of the white 
people, of whom I baptized upon profession of 
repentance and faith in Christ, about one hun- 
dred and thirty-nine persons within the same 
space. This was a summer of great success, and 
I shall remember that happy season with pleas- 



PREFACE. 



xi 



ure while I live. This summer I received some 
farther dawnings of the day of the general Res- 
toration in my mind, for upon considering sever- 
al Scriptures, such as these, " He shall see ©f 
the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied; by 
his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify 
many; for he shall bear their iniquities." Isai. 
liii, 11. After this I beheld, and lo, a great 
multitude, which no man could number, of all 
nations, and kindreds, and tongues, stood before 
the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with 
white robes, and palms in their hands." Rev. vii. 
9. I became fully persuaded that the number 
of the finally saved would equal if not exceed 
the number of the lost. And I was so forcibly 
impressed with this new and very joyful discov- 
ery, that I not only conversed in that strain pri- 
vately, but boldly preached it in the congrega- 
tion, which generally consisted of nearly a thou- 
sand persons upon Sundays. Some of the people 
to whom I had mentioned something respecting 
the sentiment, thought that I was going at once to 
declare myself in favor of the general Restora- 
tion, But that was as yet far from being the 
case; though some of the arguments which 1 
had glanced upon in that book, the Everlasting 
Gospelj would frequently present themselves to 
my mind in such a forcible manner that I eould 
scarcely withstand their evidence. 

In the month of September I left South-Car- 
olina, on a visit to my friends in New-England, 
intending however to return to my people again; 
but to prevent their being left destitute, I pro- 
cured the Rev. Mr. Botsford to come and supply 
them, upon this condition,that whenever I should 



Xll 



PREFACE. 



return, he should resign the congregation to me 
again, if I required it. But he has remained 
the constant Pastor ever since. I then travel- 
led slowly through the continent, preached to 
the people, and conversing with my friends to 
whom sometimes in private I proposed some of 
the arguments in favor of the general Restoration^ 
%vhich I had read in the Everlasting Gospel y on 
purpose to see what answers they could give ; 
and this I did especially to able ministers: but 
to my surprise often found them quite at a stand, 
not knowing what to say. And some were al- 
most overpowered with even the weak manner 
in which I was capable of holding forth the ar- 
guments in favor of the Restoration. — And often- 
times the answer that some of the greatest men 
gave, were such as tended to increase my doubts 
respecting endless misery^ rather than to remove 
them. I remember once, that I asked the Rev. 
Mr.^/a?inmg-,President of Rhode -Island College, 
and who was at that time one of my dearest 
friends, what was the strongest argument that 
he could use in favor of the doctrine of endless 
miserijl He answered, that it was the nature of 
God to lay the greatest possible restraint upon 
sin, and therefore he had threatened it with end- 
less 'punishmentj as the highest restraint he could 
possibly lay upon it. This argument is answer- 
ed in the third dialogue. Thus after much seek- 
ing I could find no satisfaction in the matter; but 
still my doubts increased. Notwithstanding, I 
withstood the doctrine of the Restoraiicn \\\{\\ all 
my might, and sometimes preached publicly a- 
gainst it with all the force I could muster. Yet 
there was something in its favor that gained grad- 



PREFACE, 



xiii 



ually upon my mind, and sometimes brought me 
to be almost v/illing to embrace it. I plainly saw 
that it would reconcile almost, if not quite, all 
difficulties of other system.s; and I thought if I 
should ever receive it, I should be able to preach 
much easier, and more freely than ever, and v/ith 
far greater satisfaction, which by experience, I 
have since found to be true. The ideas were 
sometimes so transporting to me, even while I 
professed to oppose the sentiment, that I have 
been constrained to set them forth in the most 
sublime manner that I was able; and sometimes 
so as actually to bring them who heard me con- 
verse upon the subject to believe and rejoice in 
the Universal MestGraiion^ while I thought myself 
an opposer of it, and only proposed the ar- 
guments in its favor to see what effect they would 
have on such who never heard them before. 
And I was often carried away before I was a- 
ware, even while I intended only to let my friends 
hear what might be said. I remember once, 
while I was at my father's table in the year 1780, 
that I mentioned the doctrine of the Restoration^ 
and finding that none in the company had ever 
so much as heard of such a scheme, I began to 
hold it forth, produced many arguments in its 
favor, brought up many objections, answered 
them in such a manner as astonished all present, 
and I was amazed at myself, I spoke with so 
much ease and readiness as I had hardly ever 
experienced before on any occasion. — Nay, I 
was so much animated with the subject that I 
said, that I did not doubt but that in sixty years 
time, that very doctrine would universally be 
preached, and generally embraced in that verv 
2 



XIV 



PREFACE. 



country, and would certainly prevail over ali 
opposition. 

This discourse made a greater impression up- 
on the minds of those who heard it, and upon my 
own also, than I intended; and though I after- 
guards use<l the best arguments I could in favor 
of the common opinion, yet I found them msufii- 
cient wholly to remove the effects of what I had 
b-efore said. 

After spending about tvrelve months in the 
most delightful manner, constantly journeying 
and preaching with great success, to vast miilti- 
tudes of people in my native country, 1 set off 
wdth intention to return towards South- Carolina. 
On the way I tarried some time at the Rev. Mi\. 
Samuel Waldo's, in Pawling's Precinct, State of 
New-York, whose kind and friendly behaviour 
towards me I remember with pleasure, and men- 
tion with gratitude. I had a great deal of very 
agreeable conversation with him upon the mat- 
ter, and he did not seem to oppose the ideas 
hardly at all; but only o;ently cautioned me a- 
gainst receiving any thing erroneous. He is a 
man of most excellent spirit, and his family was 
upon the whole the most delightful, agreeable 
and happy family that I ever knew'. While I 
was at his house one of his children, then about 
twenty years of age, seemed fully convinced of 
the truth of the doctrine, by listening to our con- 
versation, and was filled with great joy at the 
idea. — Several religious men who w-ere on a 
journey, lodged at the house while I w^as there, 
got a hint of the matter, and wished to hear all 
that I could say in defence of it; I accordingly 
gave them some of the principal arguments in 



PREFACE, 



XV 



its favor, and obviated some of the most capital 
objections that could be brought against it; and 
I afterwards overheard them wishing that they 
itad not been so curious as to have inquired so 
iar into the subject, (or they could not resist the 
arguments although they seemed resolved to treat 
the sentiments as an error. 

In this state of mind, half a convert to the 
doctrine of the Resloration^ i arrived in the city 
of Phihdelphia, on the 7th of October, 1780, 
I intended to have left the city in a few days, 
and to have gone on towards South-Carolina, 
but the Baptist Church being destitute of a min- 
ister, they invited me to stop and preach with 
them^ to which I was at length persuaded, and 
lor sometime I was much followed, and there 
were crreat additions to the church. The con- 
gregations increased in such a manner, especi- 
ally on Sunday evenings, that our place of w^or- 
ship, though large, would by no means contain 
them; at length leave was asked by some of my 
friends for me to preach in the church of St. 
Paul, in that city, v/hich was granted. This 
was one of the largest houses of worship in 
Phihdelphia, and equal in bigness to most of the 
^^hurches.in London. I think I preached there 
about eighteen sermons, and generally to very 
crowded audiences, frequently more than could 
possibly get into the house; most of the clergy 
of every denomination in the city, heard me 
there, and many thousands of different people. 
I am inclined to think, that I never preached to 
so many before nor since as I did sometimes in 
that house^ and with almost universal approba- 



xvi 



PREFACE. 



tion. But now the time of my trouble and cast- 
ing down came on, and thus it was. 

Soon after I arrived in that city I had enquir- 
ed of some friend for The EvcAastijig Gospel, 
which I could not light on for some time, but 
they lent me Mr. Stonehouse's book upon the 
Restitution of all Things, which I had never 
seen, nor heard of before; this very learned 
work I read with great care, and his reasoning, 
arguments, and scripture proof seemed tome en- 
tirely satisfactory. 

The friends who procured me the works of 
Mr. Stonehouse, were concerned at my having 
an inclination to read any thing upon the sub- 
ject; nevertheless, though there were several of 
them with whom I conversed pretty freely upon 
the matter, and who knev/ of my reading Mr. 
Stonehouse's works, yet they behaved in so 
friendly a manner towards me, that they never 
mentioned a word of it to any, until by other 
means it came to be known and talked of. 

In the house where I lodged, when I first 
came to the city, I had, in the freedom of con- 
^'ersation, and with some appearance of joy, 
expressed myself in general terms upon the sub- 
ject, but always in the exact words of Scripture, 
or in such a manner as this, viz: — That I could 
not help hoping that God would finally bring eve- 
ry knee to bow and everij tongue to swear; and that 
at the name of Jesus every \mee should hoic, of 
things m heaven, and things in earth ; and things 
under the earth; and that everij tongue should con- 
fess Jesus Christ to be Lord to the glory of God 
the Father, And that 1 hoped, that in the dis- 
pensation of the fulness of times, he might gather 



PREFACE. 



iogether in one all things in Christ, both which 
are in heaven^ and which are on earthy S^x. 

Such passages as these I mentioned in this 
manner, hoping that thtj would be fulfilled. 
The people of the house seemed surprised, and 
asked me if I believed so; I answered, That 
sometimes I could not help hoping that it might 
be so." I could hardly have imagined among 
friends that any danger could have arisen from 
my expressing a hope that the Scriptures were 
true. 

However these false friends told a minister, 
whom for a number of years I had esteemed as 
my best and most intimate friend, that I was 
turned heretic, and believed the doctrine of the 
Universal Restoration^ and desired him to con- 
vince me. Some time after he met with me in 
the street, and in a very abrupt manner told me, 
that he had wanted to see me for some time, that 
he might give me a piece of his mind; that he 
had been informed by such a person, that I was 
inclined to the doctrine of the Universal Restor- 
ation^ and then, instead of using any argument 
to convince me, or taking any method for my re- 
covery, added this laconic speech^ If you em- 
brace this sentiment, I shall no longer own you 
for a brother." And he has hitherto been as 
good as his word, havinsj never writen nor spok- 
en to me from that day to this, and when I have 
since offered to shake hands with him, he refus- 
ed; and yet he was one whom I esteemed above 
any other on earth, as a hearty, sincere, long-tri- 
ed, and faithful friend. If my intimate friend 
treated me in such a manner, what had I not to 
expect from my open and avowed enemies? 
2* 



XV III 



PREFACS. 



I now foresaw the stormj and I determined to 
prepare for it, not by denying what I had said, 
but by examining and determining for myself, 
whether the sentiment was according to script- 
ure or not. If I found that it was not, I was 
determined to retract, but if it was, to hold it 
fast, let the consequences be Vt hat they might. I 
had now no time to lose. I expected in a short 
time to be called to an account, and examined 
respecting this doctrine, and ol3liged either to 
defend or deny it ; I was already too well persua- 
ded that it was true, to do the latter without hes* 
itation, and yet not sufficiently for the former. 
For this purpose, I shut myself up chiefly in my 
chamber, read the Scriptures, and prayed to 
God to lead me into ail truth, and not suffer me 
to embrace any error; and I think that with an 
upright mind, I laid myself open to believe what- 
ever the Lord had revealed. It would be too 
long to tell all the teachings I had on this head; 
let it suffice, in short, to say, that I became so 
v;ell persuaded of the truth of the Umvcrsal 
Restorationj that I was determined never to deny 
it, let it cost me ever so much, though ail my 
numerous friends should forsake me, as I ex- 
pected they would, and though I should be driv- 
en from men, and obliged to dwell in caves or 
dens of the earth, and feed on wild roots and 
vegetables, and suffer the loss of all things, 
friends, wealth, fame, health, character, and even 
life itself The truth appeared to me more val- 
uable than all things, and as I had found it, I 
was determined never to part v/ith it, let what 
would be offered in exchange. 



i had now formed my resolution, and was de- 
termined how to act when the trial came. Hith- 
erto I had said nothing about the Restoration in 
public, and httle in private; but I preached up 
the death of Christ, and salvation for mankind 
through him, without restriction. This free man- 
ner of preaching gave offence to some, who 
came to hear me no more. On the evening of 
the 22d of January, 1781, a number of the mem- 
bers of the church, who had heard that I held 
the doctrine of the Hedoration^ rnet me at a 
friend's house, to ask me the question, Whether 
1 did or not? I acknowledged that I did, but did 
not wish to trouble any body with my sentiments. 
They desired me neither to preach them in public, 
nor to converse of them in private. I told them that 
if they would prevent people from asking me, I 
would say nothing upon the matter; but if peo- 
ple asked me concerning my sentiments, I could 
not deny them, and if they wished to know the 
reasons, I must inform them. And thus the 
matter was to rest; but some that were present 
wished to know the foundation of my sentiments, 
others opposed it, not wishing to hear any thing 
in its favor. At length it was agreed that I might 
read the passages of Scripture upon which I judg- 
ed the doctrine of the Restoration to be founded, 
but must not add a single word of explanation 
on my part, and on their parts they v/ere not to 
a^k any questions, or make the least opposition, 
for if they did, I insisted upon the liberty of de- 
fending. 

Accordingly I took the Bible, and read manv 
passages in the Old and New Testaments, which 
1 judged to contain the doctrine; and the very 



XX 



PREFACE. 



reading of them convinced several of the com- 
pany of the truth of the Restoratwn. There 
was nothing farther took place at that time : We 
parted with mutual agreement; I was not to 
preach it in the pulpit, nor to introduce it in 
conversation, but I would not be obliged to deny 
it, when asked, nor to refuse to vindicate it, if 
opposed; and on their parts they were not to 
speak of it to my prejudice, but to endeavor as 
much as possible, to keep the matter close, and 
so we parted. — But notwithstanding all the pains 
that could be taken, the matter got abroad, and 
several came to discourse with me on my princi- 
ples, to whom I gave such reasons as I was able 
for what I believed. A little after this time, I 
met with another copy oi the Everlasting Gospel, 
which I then read through with attention for the 
first time, and found much satisfaction; the ar- 
guments and Scripture proofs therein contained, 
seemed to me sufficient to convince all that would 
read with candor and attention. 

I still continued to act only on the defensive, 
not preaching upon the subject, nor going about 
to private houses to make interest in my favor 
but if any came to me and v/ished me to dis- 
course upon it, I would not refuse; and thus a 
number were convinced of its truth, while others 
violently opposed it. And thus matters contin- 
ued until the latter end of March. Having 
heard that the German Baptists in Germantown, 
about 8 miles from Philidelphia, held the doc- 
trine of the Restoratioriy I had appointed to spend 
the first Sunday in April with them; and this 
engagement had been made sometime: Just as 
I was ready to go out of the city on Saturday, I 



PREFACE. 



found that some of the members of the Church 
had privately sent into the country, and collect- 
ed a number of the ablest ministers, who were 
arrived in the city on purpose to debate. I gave 
them the Uberty of my pulpit as they pleased for 
the next day, and went out of the city to go to 
Germantown: and took that opportunity to go 
and visit that ancient, venerable, and excellent 
man, Dr. George De Benneville^ who received 
me in the most kind, open, and friendly manner; 
and his conversation was most highly edifying to 
me. Afterwards I went to Germantown, and 
lodged there all night, ready to preach the next 
day. As soon as my enemies in Philidelphia 
found that I was gone out of the city, they 
spread a report that I had fled to avoid an inter- 
view with these ministers, who had come on pur- 
pose to convince me. Nothing could have been 
more false, than such a report, for I had been 
engaged to go to Germantown, on that day, for 
several weeks beforehand: I knev/ nothing of 
these ministers being sent for until they came 
to town; and I had no fear but I should be able, 
by God's assistance, to defend the cause before 
them; and besides, I had appointed to return on 
Monday, and did return accordingly. The 
whole church met, both my friends and my op- 
posers, and these ministers met with them. I 
was called to attend a funeral at that time, and 
was at the house of mourning, when a messen- 
ger was sent in haste, to desire my immediate 
attendance at the meeting without any delay. I 
found that those who were my enemies in the 
assembly, had been greatly vaunting over my 
friends, because I wag not present. They said 



XXI 1 



PREFACE. 



I had absconded merely to avoid a debate, in 
which I was sure to be confuted, as here was an 
opportunity that might never present itself a- 
gaia ; — and seven wise, able, and learned 
ministers had assembled on purpose to dispute 
with me, but that I had gone, left my adherents 
in the lurch, from a consciousness that I was 
not able to defend my cause; — with abundance 
more to the same purpose. My friends, on the 
other hand, told them, that I was afraid of noth- 
ing but sin, and that they doubted not of my be- 
ing able and willing to dispute w ith any one of 
the gentlemen, or all of them, one by one, if 
they chose it. O, no; they replied, they knew 
better than that, I was gone out of the way on 
purpose, where I could not be found. My friends 
told tkem, that if there was a vote past in the 
assembly that I should dispute with any one, 
they would engage that I would be among them 
in a few minutes. It was accordingly unanim- 
ously voted, that I should dispute with the Rev. 

Boggs^ upon my sentiments, in the presence 
of these ministers, and of the whole assembly. 
But when in a few minutes I came in, and took 
my place, what different countenances appeared 
in the congregation? All my friends were high- 
ly pleased, and the others were as much con- 
founded and disappointed, at seeing me come 
in so cheefully and quickly, after they had made 
themselves so sure, that I would not come. But 
surely, I might have been looked upon with pity; 
alone to ansv/er for my self, no one to support 
me-, while my antagonists were seven of the 
ablest ministers that could be obtained. 



PREFACE 



XXllIr 



I felt, however, that mward composure, from 
a consciousness of having acted uprightly and 
sincerely in the whole affair, that even caused 
my countenance to appear easy and cheerful. 

The vote was then puhlicly read, and I stood 
up, and declared my readiness to comply with 
what was required. The worthy gentleman who 
was chosen to dispute with me, then rose up, 
an<l said these words, I am not prepared to dis- 
pute with Mr. Winchester J I have heard that he 
says that it would take six weeks to canvass all 
the arguments fairly on both sides; and I sup- 
pose he has been studying upon the subject for 
a week or more, and I have not studied it at all; 
and therefore I must beg to be excused." 

When I found that he, and all the rest wholly 
declined disputing with me, I begged liberty to 
speak for two hours upon my sentiments, and 
lay them fairly open, and the ground upon which 
I maintained them. But this was denied me; I 
then desired them to give me one hour for this 
purpose; but this was also refused. One of 
the ministers got up, .and said, that their busi- 
ness w^as not to debate with me but to ask me, 
whether I believed the Restoration of bad men 
and angels finally, to a state of hohness and hap- 
piness. See. 

But if they did not come to dispute with me, 
why was the vote passed by their party, as well 
as by my friends, that I should dispute with 
them.? This speaks for itself. The ministers in- 
sisted upon putting the question to me, do you 
beheve the doctrine of the Universal Restoration? 
My friends objected to my answering the ques- 
tion, unless I might be allowed to vindicate my 



PREFACE. 



sentiments. But I said, that I did not fear anr 
use that could be made of my words ; that I had 
always freely confessed vrhat my thoughts were 
when asked ; and, therefore, I'told them, that I 
did heartily believe the General Restoration, and 
was willing to defend it. The gentleman that 
was chosen to dispute with me, then asked me, 
whether I thought it strange, considering my 
change of sentiments, that there should be such 
a noise and uproar made upon the occasion, &c. 
I told him that I did not think it strange at all ; 
and gave him a little history of the affair, and 
how the matter came abroad, through the treach- 
ery of some, whom 1 had esteemed as my friends; 
that vvhen I mentioned it to them I v/as not fully 
persuaded of it myself, and perhaps never might 
have been, if I had not been opposed and threat- 
ened ; that I never had intended to trouble the 
people with my sentiments, but was willing to 
live and die with them, if they could bear with 
me ; but that I could not use so much deceit, as 
to deny what I believed, when asked by any one; 
that I never had yet done so, and by the grace 
of God never would, let the consequences be 
what they might. Vf hat I said was in presence 
of all my accusers, and none of them could con- 
tradict me, nor had aught to lay to my charge,, 
except in this matter of the gospel of my Sav- 
iour. My discourse took such an effect upon 
him, that he then publicly declared, that my be- 
haviour in the whole affair had been as became 
a man and a Ch^stian, and that no one could 
accuse me of any improper conduct. I stood 
some time, and as none appeared to have any 
thing farther to say to me, I took my leave and 



PREFACE. 



went out. He accompanied me to the door^ and 
told me that he would write to me upon the sub- 
ject ; but whatever was the reason, he never did^ 
nor have we spoken together since. 

The ministers then advised the people to get 
another minister ; but my friends being numer- 
ous, insisted it should be fairly determined by 
the subscribers at large ; but this the other par- 
ty would not agree to. Several very fair offers 
were made by my friends to them, but they re- 
fused them all ; and finally, by force they kept 
us out of the house, and deprived us of our part 
of the property, which was at last confirmed to 
them by law, though I think unjustly, as we 
were the majority at first ; but they took uncom- 
mon pains in carrying about a protest against me 
to every member of the church, both in the city 
and in the country, and threatening all with ex- 
communication who would not sign it ; by which 
some were intimidated, and by these and other 
means they strengthened their party. But on 
the other hand, I took no pains, either to prose- 
lyte people to believe my sentiments or to make 
my party strong. But I believe near an hun- 
dred of the members suffered themslevs to be ex- 
communicated rather than to sign the protest a- 
gainst me, and the doctrine that I preached. 
When we were deprived of our house of wor- 
ship, the Trustees of the University gave us the 
Hberty of their Hall; where we worshipped God 
for about four years, until we purchased a place 
for ourselves. But to return. After this meet- 
ing of the ministers, the whole affair was open, 
and I found myself obliged to vindicate the doc- 
trine which they had condemned unheard, not 
3 



xxvi 



PREFACE. 



only in private but in the pulpit. According- 
ly, on the 22d day of April, I preached a ser- 
mon on Gen. iii. 15, in which I openly asserted 
the doctrine of the Final and Unive^^sal Restor- 
ation of all fallen intelligences. This was pub- 
lished by particular desire, with a list of the 
plainest scripture passages in favor of the doc- 
trine; and a number of the most common and 
principal objections, fairly stated, and answered. 
This was my first appearance in the world as a 
prose writer, which was what I never expected 
to be, and probably should never have been but 
for this occasion; still less a writer of contro- 
versy, to which I had naturally a great aversion. 

After I had preached this sermon, I had the 
Chevalier Hamseifs Philosophical Principles of 
JYatural and Revealed Religion put into my hands ; 
I read the same with great pleasure and advan- 
tage, and I must acknowledge it to be a work 
of great merit, and I have reason to bless God 
that ever I had an opportunity of reading it. I 
can heartily recommend it, as one of the best 
works in our language; and I must say, that in 
most things I fully agree with that very intelli- 
gent author. On the fourth of January, 1782, 
I preached the sermon called. The Outcasts 
Comforted; from Isaiah Ixvi. 5, to my friends 
who had been cast out, and excommunicated, 
for believing this glorious doctrine. This was 
soon after printed, and the next year it was re- 
published in London, by the Rev. Mr. Richard 
Clark, and was the first of my works ever print- 
ed here. 

I have thus given a brief, plain and simple ac- 
count of the means that have brought me to think 
and write in the manner that 1 have done, and 



PREFACE, 



xxvii 



which account may be considered as an historic- 
al sketch of nearly four years of my hfe. 

I have every year since printed and published 
something which I judged might be useful to my 
fellow creatures; but as my works are in the 
hands of most of my friends, it is not necessary 
to give a particular account of any of theni 
here, except this book of Dialogues on the Uni- 
versal Restoration, I have had many discourses 
with various persons upon this subject and many 
objections have been proposed to me, which I 
have endeavored to answer; and I can truly 
say, that these discourses, their questions and my 
answers, their objections, and my solutions, form 
the bult of these dialogues. I have endeavor- 
ed to give all the possible force to their objec- 
tions, and if any of them are weak I can assure 
the public, that I have not made them so (as 
some have insinuated)merely that I might be a- 
ble to answer them, but the weakest of them have 
been proposed to me, and I have fairly set down 
the most powerful that I ever heard, generally 
in the very words in which they were addressed 
to me, whether in conversation or by letter; and 
I am willing, if stronger objections can be made, 
to put them in the place of those things which I 
have set down, or add them to the number; and 
I have in this new edition added a few, which I 
have heard since the work was first published, 
and especially one which was sent me by a ven- 
erable minister from America, and which I have 
largely answered. 

I have the satisfaction of knowing not only 
that these Dialogues have been well received, 
but that they have been the means of bringing 



ixviii 



PREFACB. 



many persons to the belief of the truth of the 
Universal Restoration, and have strengthened 
and confirmed others, as will plainly appear from 
the following extracts of letters, which I have re- 
ceived from several ministers in different parts 
of the kingdom, since their publication. 



Wi^bichy October 26, 1788. 

Dear Sir— 

" I am persuaded your knowledge of the world 
and its inhabitants, hath long since taught you to 
be familiar with the addresses of persons un- 
known to you ; and I have formed that opinion 
of you, that your candor will admit, and your 
generous mind rejoice to hear, that a person 
though unknown to you, is convinced that God 
hath gracious designs towards universal man. I 
am that person, sir. For sometime past I have 
entertained doubts with respect to the eternity of 
hell torments. My doubts principally arose from 
the consideration of the vast disproportion be- 
tween moine7itary crimes, committed in this short 
life and the suffering infinitude of punishment ; 
yet many difficulties lay in my way that I did not 
know how to remove, and I continued thus em- 
barrassed, until a short time since I had the hap- 
piness to meet with your Dialogues on the Uni- 
vei^sal Restoration, which, I thank God, have 
helped me much. My ardent prayer is, that 
the truth may spread, that the word of the Lord 
may run and be glorified. 

"My good friend, Mr. F , shewed me 

Tour letter to him, by which I see your readinesa 



PREFACE* 



xxix 



to serve the cause of our great Head, Christ Je- 
sus, and your willingness to visit the country, 
provided the way is open. » Now, Sir, 1 can on- 
ly say, that my house and my heart, and my pul- 
pit will be all open to receive you, provided you 
will visit us in this part of the world. 
I remain, with the utmost respect, 

Dear Sir, your sincere friend, 

" HEiNRY POOLE.'' 



" DsAR Sir— 

" Though personally unknown, have taken 
the liberty of addressing you with a few lines. 
I was lately in London, and called to see you : 
but was told you were out of town. Have for 
some time had the pleasure of reading your Di- 
alogues much to my satisfaction. 

rhe subject of Universal Restitution has for 
many years engaged my thoughts at times, and 
often appeared in an amiable light to my mind. 
It is a subject that redounds to the everlasting 
honor of God, and the everlasting felicity of 
the rational creature, who, when delivered from 
misery, shall be fully sensible of the obligations 
due to the Deliverer, and consequently, shall 
naturally be engaged in the great and delightiiil 
vv'ork of praising and honoring both the Author 
and Accomplisher of the great salvation. . 

My residence is at Lyndhursty in the JS^ew 
Forest Hantsj where I am pastor over a little 
Church of General Baptists, of which denom- 
ination I am informed you are ; but be that as 
it may, it is no small pleasure to me to find men, 
of whatever denomination, vindicate the good- 



3=^ 



XXX 



FilEFACfi. 



ness of God, in the manner it is done by the doc- 
trine of Universal Restoration. 

" Should incHnation or leisure ever favor your 
coming this way, I know not who I shall be more 
happy to see and enjoy. Permit me to subscribe 
myself, 

" Your affectionate brother, 

In the gospel of universal love, 
" ADAM ALDRIDGE. 
Lyndhurst, December 4, 1789." 

''York, March 6, 1790. 
" Rev. and Dear Sir — 

'' I hope you will excuse the freedom I have 
taken in writing to you. 

'' I have for several years embraced your sen- 
timents, and have often stood up in defence of 
them. 

" I have frequently met with learned and can- 
did men, who have given me much satisfaction 
in this important subject. When your Dialogues 
were published, I procured and read them with 
the greatest avidity. I found the subject hand- 
led much to my mind. The strongest objec- 
tions raised in all their weight and importance, 
and answered clearly and candidly. 1 read the 
book, over and over, with fresh pleasure and 
satisfaction. I studied the arguments, treasur- 
ed them up in my memory, and determined to 
become a defender of this part of truth. My 
heart burnt in love to God and mankind. I found 
exalted views of God, raised exalted strains of 
gratitude and praise. It was one of the strong- 
est and most attracting views that ever I met 
with since I knew the Saviour's love. I soon 



PREFACE, 



xxxi 



entered the field, and was obliged to prove my 
armor against the strongest objections, backed 
with prejudices almost of an invincible nature. 
When I was hard put to it, I had recourse to 
your Magazine, and from thence brought forth 
new pieces of artillery. You will easily sup- 
pose I had many trials from persons of differ- 
ent dispositions. By persuading several of my 
acquaintance, ministers of the Gospel, to read 
over your book, I became an instrument of win- 
ning them over to the truth. 

" One of my brethren in the ministry protest- 
ed much against our notions, and declared he 
would never believe them. Knowing him to be 
a sensible man, and one who might be wrought 
upon by the force of truth properly stated, I 
used several arguments to persuade him to read 
the book. At length he consented, and said, 
that he would do it to obhge me, but was deter- 
mined not to believe it. I told him, it would sat- 
isfy me, for him to give it a candid reading. 

" When we met again, I began to inquire 
what he thought of the book. He paused a lit- 
tle, and then freely acknowledged the effect it 
had had upon him ; he frankly de9lared that his 
resolution was just the same, as though he had 
resolved to look up to the heavens when the sun 
shone at noon, and not to believe that it shone. 
I have secretly engaged several and find when 
they are sensible, candid men, they fall in with 
your sentiments at once. 

" I am acquainted with about half a score of 
njinisters, who firmly believe and heartily em- 
brace the doctrine ; besides many private chris- 
tians of different denominations. Most of us 



XXXll 



PREFACE. 



ministers, who fall in with your sentiments^ are 
afraid of confessing them publicly for this rea- 
son, our people would thrust us out of the syna- 
gogues, and we and our families might surier 
thereby. For my own part, I am determined to 
stand by this truth, whether I can continue my 
place among the people where I am or not. 
Rather than give up this (through grace ) 1 would 
give up life. 

" I have so much zeal in my heart for the con- 
firmation and establishment of this truth, that I 
w^ould, were it in my power, gladly proselyte all 
men to embrace and enjoy the beneht of it. 

" I hope you v/ili muster up all your resolu- 
tion, and stand forth boldly again in vindication 
of the cause of truth, and the most glorious and 
most neglected part of that truth that all men 
ought to embrace. I fear lest the enemy shftll 
cause a shout of triumph if you refuse again to 
engage, and do not come forth to the help of the 
Lord against the mighty. Please to inform me 
if you want any help where you are; I have 
some little fortune, and would engage in promot- 
ing the v/ork of God, without being vrholly de- 
pendent on any people. 

^' Direct to J. R at Mr. John Broicn's, Book- 
Bcller, Pocklingtjnj Yorkshire, 

" Sincerely praying for the success of your 
labors, and your welfare of body and mind, 

I am in truth, } our affectionate friend, 



And servant in Christ Jesu5/' 



l^REFACE. 



xxxiii 



JlxjUshunj^ September 22, 1790. 
*^ Rev. and Dear Sir — 

An anxious desire of a more intimate acquaint- 
ance with you induces me to take this liberty of 
writing to you, hoping you will excuse my free- 
dom; undoubtedly it will appear strange, that 
one you never saw nor heard of, should take 
such Uberty. But as a foe to flattery, I just 
give you this short account of my first knowl- 
edge of you; w^hich was only by hearing of the 
ear. 

Something more than a year ago, I was told 
that there was a preacher just come to London, 
an American by birth, who had undertaken to 
preach an Universal B.estoration to lovst souls. 
As it was new to me, I v/as much surprized at 
this strange account, and I thought and said, 
(though with some degree of candor) that I 
looked upon it to be some one that could not dig, 
and was ashamed to beg, so to procure a living 
he had written this book. Here I rested for 
some time, thinking that much hurt would be 
done thereby; till the last time I saw Mr. At- 
kinSj(who I understand is now in connexion with 
you) he gave me some further account of you 
and your doctrine. But I could not understand 
it from his account; yet he persisted I should be- 
lieve it, if I was to read your Dialogues. I told 
him I would give them a fair reading, if I could 
see them. Still I entertained the same strange 
idea as before. The next account I had w^as 
from a young man of Berkhampstead^ who came 
to see me and in our discourse, I said, "Some of 
your people have imbibed a new doctrine^ I 
hear.' * He said " Yes, and I verily beheve it a 



xxxiv 



PREFACE. 



truth." I was now more surprized than before; 
but he said, if I was to see it he had no doubt 
but I should believe it also. — ^^Well," said I, "if 
I could see the book I would lay prejudice aside, 
and give it a fair reading, let it be what it may." 
He very kindly told me, that as soon as he could 
get it home, (for he had lent it to a friend) he 
would send it to me. I thanked hira, and prom- 
ised to read it impartially, knowing that where 
party spirit reigns, blindness takes place. 

"According to promise, he sent the book; and 
as I had done before, I now laid the matter be- 
fore the Lord with this petition, that he would 
not suffer me to be misled or wander out of the 
way, as I knew that he knew my desire and in- 
tention. I was delivered from fear, and with 
candor and cofidence I began to read my new 
book, and to my great astonishment, yet to my 
greater joy, I found what I had many times 
wished for secretly in my heart, namely, the pos- 
sibility of a release for those poor sufferers, and 
not only so, but likewise the certainty of it; for 
as I read on, I could not but see, that it was the 
determination of Jehovah to make all men, as 
his creatures, happy in himself O with what 
eyes did I now view the Deity, and what ideas 
did I entertain of him to what I had ever done 
before! (though I was on the general plan,) O 
how my soul was filled with love ! what gratitude 
did I feel to that God, who I now saw so loved 
all creatures, as to give his only Son to die, with 
a pure design to glorify himself in the salvation 
of every soul ! I now saw him a God of love in- 
deed, but it is out of my power to tell fully the ;;| 
happy effect it had, and has now upon my mind; > ; 



PREFACE. 



XXXV 



but it is something, what I experienced^ when the 
Lord first set my soul at hberty; as I was then 
swallowed up, as in the vision of God. But the 
bigness of this sheet is not sufficient to tell you 
all I could wish, but I trust I shall see you in per- 
son, as I should esteem it a privilege indeed to 
hear you preach, and to converse with you, and 
I fully intended coming to London about last 
May, on purpose, but as I had already a largo 
family, which, through the blessing of God, I 
maintain with my labor; finding it likely to in- 
crease, I could not well spare time to come, or I 
had been with you at that season, as I had noth- 
ing else in my way to hinder. Mr. John Holder^ 
of Tting^an acquaintance of mine, has lent me 
a few little tracts of yours, which I am now read- 
ing with pleasure and profit, and he has kindly of^ 
fered himself to accompany me at any time that 
I shall appoint to come and see you, but the same 
difficulty is now in the way as before. If ever 
Providence should open a way, I shall gladly em- 
brace the opportunity. 

Though I have no doubt of the doctrine of the 
Restoration, as to myself, I have never spoke of 
it in public as yet, not knowing whether that may 
be the way to make this glorious salvation known; 
but I have spoke to several of the people in pri- 
vate, those whom I judged to have the best un- 
dervStanding, and the most candor ; and mcst of 
these seem to be glad at the nev/s, and my own 
wife in particular receives it with all thankful- 
ness, and joins with me in love to you and yours, 
(Though very ill at this time.) If it will not be 
attended with too much trouble, please to send 
me your DialogueSy bound ,by the Aylesbury stage- 



xxxvi 



PREFACE. 



coach. I have given the coachman an order to 
pay the expense. As I stand hke yourself (in 
this respect) unconnected with any party, (though 
I was with Mr. Wesley^s people twelve years,) I 
am now free, I trust, from bigotry and prejudice, 
open to conviction, and willing for instruction, 
A few lines from you will be gratefully acknowl- 
edged, and thankfully received, by your affec- 
tionate, though most unworthy, may I say, broth- 
er in Christ, 

THOMAS HIGGINS." 

" P. S. I pray God of his mercy to give you 
all the wisdom that you need, to make this great 
salvation more fully known, as I believe he hath 
raised you up for this purpose, and that a double 
portion of his Spirit may rest upon you, and that 
your labors may be crowned with more abund- 
ant success, till the Son of righteousnes is seen 
in his full strength, and with all his ability to 
save. 

^ ^Direct to Thomas Higgius, Jlyhshw^ Bucks. ''^ 

I take the liberty of publishing these Letters, 
with the names and places of abode of the wri- 
ters, as a kind of beginning of that general ac- 
quaintance, which I should wish to see take 
place among all the friends of this doctrine in 
these kingdoms. I know several other minis- 
ters in England, who beheve and preach the 
Universal Restoration^ and I trust their numbers 
will increase. In America, where I once stood 
almost in these views alone, (among those who 



PREFACE, 



xxxvii 



speak the English tongue) there are now many 
who testify this Gospel of the free universal 
grace of God, and they have formed a connexion 
of societies on this plan, who meet by their rep- 
resentatives in convention yearly, at PhiladeU 
fhiaj and I could wish a plan of the same na- 
ture might be adopted in this country. If any 
thing that I have spoken or written may be of 
use to my fellow creatures, and may tend to pro- 
mote the glory of God, and the interest of the 
dear Redeemer in the world, I shall have the sat- 
isfaction to reflect, that I have not wholly lived 
in vain. 

London, April 2, 1792. 



4 



CONTENTS OF THE DIAI.OGUES. 



DIALOGUE L 

Objection. — That the words everlastings eter" 
naly Sfc.y are appHed to the punishment of the 
wicked. 

Answer. — These words are but seldom ap- 
pHed to the misery of the wicked ; being con- 
nected therewith only twice in the Old Testa- 
ment, and but six times in the li e w ; and are full 
as often connected with things and times that 
certainly have had, or will have an end, as they 
are with the misery of the wicked, &c. 

Objection. — But the words forever and ever^ 
are applied to the misery of the wicked, &c. 

Answ^er. — This is a very strong phrase, and 
would be judged unanswerable, but for certain 
considerations. 

1. If the phrase forever and ever intends any 
period or periods, longer than the word forever ^ 
then there must be a proportion, Sec. 2. This 
phrase as applied to future misery cannat intend 
endless duration. 3. It is more than probable 
that the lake of lire, in which the wicked will be 
punished with the second death, will be the earth 
dissolved by the general cofiagration, he. 

Objection. — Forever v, hen applied to things 
of this lif^and world may end, but being applied 
to things of another state nmd mean endless. 



CONTENTS. 



%xxix 



Answer. — The word forever applied to spir- 
itual things, and circumstances of another state 
must not be always understood to mean endless. 

Objection.— But does not the phrase forever 
mid ever, in the New Testament, always intend 
endless? 

Answer. — It doth not. An undeniable in- 
stance brought in proof, to which several more 
might have been added. 

Objection. — But is not the Scripture charge- 
able with a design to mislead men in these words 
when applied to future misery, unless they intend 
endless duraiionl And does not the limiting these 
words accuse Christ of duplicity and deceit in 
his threatenings ? 

Answer. — The Hebrew word rendered ever- 
lasting properly intends a hidden djuration^ or pe- 
riod, but not endless. 

Objection. — The same word everlasting or 
eternal is in the very same verse applied both to 
the misery of the wicked and to the happiness 
of the righteous. 

Answer. — The very same word is in other 
places applied to very different things, whose 
natures and durations are entirely dissimilar. 

Objection. — -But, upon the supposition that 
the doctrine of endless damnation was true, in 
what manner might one expect it to be express- 
ed in the Bible ? 

Answer.— If it was true, there could be no 
promises, intimations, or even distant hints to 
the contrary. And it is therefore shewn to be 
false by a number of positive proofs. If there 
were not promises and intimations of the General 
Resto7'alion in the Scripture,the doctrine ofendlesi 



CONTENTS. 



damnation might be then concluded to be true, 
however dark ; but the endless happiness of the 
righteous is set forth in much stronger language, 
and with more abundant force of expression. 

The endless happiness of the righteous stands 
upon such foundations that can never be over- 
thrown or destroyed ; such as their indissoluble 
union with the original source of life and happi- 
ness ; their being heirs of God, and joint heirs 
with Christ, and the promise that they shall live 
because he lives ; and his life is truly endless. 

Objection. — That since the wicked have cho- 
gen evil, persevered in it through life, it is be- 
come a fixed habit in them, from which it would 
seem as impossible to reclaim them, as to draw 
off the just from their attachment to God and 
goodness. 

Answer. — This reasoning is founded upon 
the old pagan system of good and evil being two 
eternal co-existing principles. 

All men are God's creatures, and therefore 
he will not contend forever, nor be always wroth 
with the souls that he hath made. 

Satan's kingdom and all evil shall be destroy- 
ed, and therefore endless misery cannot have the 
same permanent foundation as endless happiness. 

Two things diametrically opposite to each oth- 
er cannot both exist together to all eternity. 

Objection. — But does not the word all fre- 
quently intend a part only 

Answered. — By giving certain never failing 
rules, whereby it may be known when the word 
all means strictly all^ or the whole universally 
without any exception; confirmed by plain in- 
stances out of St. Paul's writings. 



CONTENTS, 



Xli 



Objection. — That perhaps by all things being 
put under Christ, nothing farther may be meant 
than their being brought into a state of forced 
subjection, or made subject to his control. 

Answer. — They are now put under him in 
this respect, but they are not yet put under him 
in the sense that they shall be, which implies a 
state of willing subjection. 

The word many frequently means alL 

All things were created by Christ; all rebell- 
ious beings shall hesubduedhy him, and all with- 
out exception shall be reconciled by him, and 
through him, to God. 

DIALOGUE 11. 

Objection. — ^Of the worm that dieth not, and 
the unquenchable fire, five times threatened by 
our Lord Jesus Christ in one passage. 

Answered, — By reference to the words in 
the prophesy of Isaiah, to which our Lord prob» 
ably alluded. 

Passages from the prophets brought to shew a 
literal accomplishment of the original words. 

The dreadful threat enings of future misery to 
the wicked, implied in those words of our Sav- 
iour. They shall be publicly punished and tor- 
mented in the lake of fire, which is the earth in 
its melted or dissolved state. 

Nevertheless, there shall be a new creation 
of the earth, and so the lake of fire shall cease. 

Many instances of fires mentioned in Script- 
ure, of which it was said, theij shall not be quench- 
ed^ which yet have ceased long ago. 

And of those fires whose smoke is said to as- 
cend up forever. 

4* 



xlli 



CONTENTS. 



Things contrary are often predicted of the \ 
same places and people, and must be understood 
as occurring at different times. 

Our Lord's words of every one being salted 
with fire considered. 

Obection. — All the fires above mentioned 
were on earth, and in time; but the fire of hell, 
being in eternity, can never go out, or cease to 
burn to all endless duration. 

Answer. — Those fires on earth that were Jiever 
to be quenched did not continue to burn as long 
as the earth remained; and therefore there is no 
necessity of granting that the fire of hell shall 
burn to all eternity. 

Punishments belong only to the ages of ages 
before Christ shall have delivered up the kuig- 
dom to the Father. 

Objection. — The blasphemy against the Ho- 
ly Ghost shall never be forgiven, kc. 

Answered. — 1. By shewing what this sin is, 
kc. 2. All that bears the name of death shall 
be destroyed, and all sorrow, crying, and pain, 
shall cease and be no more. 3. Where sin a- 
bounded grace shall much more abound. 

Objection. — The deplorable case of Esau. 
Answer. — He lost the birthright, and the pe- 
culiar privileges that belonged to the first born, 
but yet he had a blessing from his father of a 
lower degree. 

The great difference between them was more 
fulfilled in their posterity than in their ov/n per- 
sons. 

Love and hatred are sometimes only compar- 
ative, and not positive terras, and only imply a 
preference of one to the other. 



^ CONTENTS, XiiU 

i'- 

^ Objection.— The great gulph between the 
region of happiness and misery is impassable. . 

Answer. — Christ has passed it when he went 
and preached to the spirits in prison, who were 
disobedient in the days of Noah. 

This proves a state of conscious existence af- 
ter the death of the body. 

The rich man seems to have had compassion 
towards his brethren. 

The scriptures constantly hold out punishment 
in proportion to the sins committed in the pres- 
ent life. 

Objection. — The case of Judas, of whom 
Jesus said, ^' Good were it for that man that he 
had never been born." 

Answer. — l.This was a proverbial saying. 2. 
Both Job and Jeremiah cursed the day of their 
birth, and wished they had never been born. 3. 
Solomon declares an untimely birth to be far 
better than the longest and most prosperous life 
of one whose soul is not filled with good, and 
who hath no burial. 4. If Judas had died be- 
fore he was born he would have escaped all 
earthly trouble, and future misery, and would 
have been immediately happy. 5. The Jews as 
much rejected and doomed to woe as Judas. 

DIALOGUE III. 

O EJECTION. — That the doctrine of the Res- 
toration tends to licentiousness, and is calculated 
to encourage the wicked to a continuance in 
their evil ways, &c. 

Answer. — First, by shewing the principles 
upon which the doctrine of the Restoration is 
founded. I. God is the Creator of all. 2. His 



xliv 



CONTENTS, 



benevolence is universal. 3. Christ died for all 
without exception. 

Objectiox. — That Christ did not die for all, 
because he did not pray for ail. 

Answer. — This objection is entirely ground- 
less;— for though in one place he prays exclu- 
sively for his apostles, yet a little after he prays 
for all that should beheve on him, through their 
word, &c. 4. Another of the first principles on 
which the doctrine of the Universal Restoration 
is founded, is the unchangeableness of God. 5. 
The immutability of his counsels; cofirmed 'by 
his oath. 6. That God hath given all things in- 
to the hands of Christ, and that nothing that is 
given to him shall be lost. 7. That the Scrip- 
tures must be fulfilled, and that none of them 
can be broken; 

Secondly^ It is proved that the doctrine of the 
Restoration cannot lead to licentiousness, be- 
cause it is perfectly consistent with experimental 
religion, — Queries asked upon this subject. A 
little sketch of the author's experience. Quer- 
ies submitted to the consideration of all exper- 
ienced Christians. Inference deduced there- 
from in favor of the doctrine of the Restoration. 

Thirdly J It is proved, that the doctrine of the 
Restoration does not lead to licentiousness, by 
its tendency to practical religion. J . We are 
commanded to love all mankind, even our ene- 
mies. 2. To do good to all. 3. To forgive all j 
that trespass against us. 4. To pray for all men, 
that they mayl)e saved and come to the knowl- 
edge of the truth. 

The belief of the Restoration so far from pre- 
venting us from these things, enables us to per- 



CONTENTS, 



xlv 



form them with pleasure and consistency. 

All shall be restored at last by the blood of 
Christ. 

Fourthly J It is proved, that the doctrine of the 
Restoration is according to godliness, because 
the belief of it tends to fill our hearts with all a- 
miable tempers, &c. 

Fifthly^ The doctrine of the Restoration is 
vindicated from the charge of licentiousness, by 
an appeal to facts, especially by the amiable con- 
duct of the Tunkers, or German Baptist^, in A- 
merica, who universally hold these sentiments. 

Reply to those who call this the doctrine 
which Satan taught Eve in the Garden. 

Dr. Whitby'^s grand objection, that the unbe- 
liever shall not see life, answered. 

Objection. — The doctrine of endless punish- 
ment said to be the strongest possible restraint 
upon sin. 

Answered. — 1. By showing that God doth 
not always lay the greatest possible restraint up- 
on sin. 2. The idea of limited punishment by 
appearing more just and reasonable to the mind, 
is more calculated to restrain sin &. iniquity than 
the doctrine of endless misery. 3. That in fact, 
though the greater part have professed to believe 
endless damnation, yet their belief appears not 
to have much restrained them from sin. 4. The 
great number of heathen people that die with- 
out ever hearing the gospel, infants, idiots, per- 
sons born deaf, &.c. render it probable that many 
are reclaimed in a future state. 5. That the in- 
tention of God is not so much to restrain sin, as 
to show its enormity; and finally to destroy it out 
of the universe. 6. If the doctrine of the Res- 
toration should be abused, that can be no argu- 



xivi 



COxNTENTS. 



ment against it, as the gospel itself has been per- 
verted, yet is the greatest blessing to mankind; 
therefore it is evident that this glorious doctrine 
cannot justly be charged with the least tendency 
towards icentiousness. 

Objection. — It would not be prudent in God, 
even if he intended finally to restore the wicked 
to let them know his gracious designs before- 
hand; it is time enough to let them know his 
gracious purposes towards them, when his for- 
mer threatenings have failed of their effect, but 
not before. 

Answered. — God has thought it the abound- 
ing of his wisdom and prudence to make known 
to his saints this mystery of his w411, even his 
promise to rehead all things in Christ. This 
discovery is chiefly intended for the comfort and 
satisfaction of the good, and not for the encour- 
agement of the bad. 

God has frequently mixed promises of great 
mercies with threatenings of terrible judgments; 
yet his threatenings are not thereby weakened. 

Objection. — The doctrine of the Restoration 
seems not very plainly revealed in the Scripture, 
or it would not have been so long hidden from 
so many great and good men. 

Answer. — Things that have been plainly re- 
vealed, have been still hidden from great and 
good men; as the death and resurrection of 
Christ. 

Question.— But how comes this man to know 
better than all the world? Scc. 

Answer. — The charge denied. Many have 
known, believed, preached and defended it. 

The doctrine of endless misery is one piinci- 



CONTENTS, 



xlrii 



pg.l cause of the disagreement among Cliris- 
tians. 

DIALOGUE IV. 

Objection. — Christ threatens the Jews that 
they should die in their sins, aiid that they could 
not come whither he went. 

Answer. — Our Lord told his disciples them- 
selves that v/hither he vv^ent, they could not 
come, that is, then, as afterwards explained. 

2. There are blessings promised in scripture, 
to all Israel, without exception. 

3. Those that have been rejected and cast off 
shall at last return and be received. 

Objection. — That the blessings promised on- 
ly respect to those that shall be found alive on 
the earth at a certain time. 

Answer. — The inhabitants of Sodom, Sama- 
ria, and Jerusalem, with their daughters, or 
neighboring cities, shall ail be restored, though 
destroyed long ago. 

2. That all things are given to Christ without 
exception; and that all that are given shall at 
last come to him in such a manner as not to be 
cast out. From which promises, the Universal 
Restoration is inferred, and proved to be certain- 
ly true. 

Objection. — God sware in his wrath that the 
Israelites should not enter into his rest. 

Answer. — The rest was the land of Canaan, 
being typical of the time of the Millennium, or 
Christ's reign on earth, and not of the ultimate 
state of happiness. 

Objection. — There are some of whom we 
read, that he that made them will not have mer- 



xlviii 



CONTENTS. 



cy upon them, and he that formed them will shew 
them no favor. 

Answer. — These words must necessarily be 
understood with some limitation, and refer to a 
particular season, when they shall have judgment 
without mercy, but finally mercy shall rejoice 
against judgment. 

Objection. — That the wicked shall never see 
light. 

Answer. — Not until subdued, or overcome, 
as the words ought to be rendered. 

Objection. — A great ransom cannot deliver 
those who are taken away by the stroke of God. 

Answer. — The great ransom cannot intend 
the blood of Christ, the power of which is un- 
limited, but gold, and all the forces of strength, 
riches, wisdom, &c. none of these can deliver 
their possessors from death. 

Objection. — Solomon says, that there is no 
work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in 
the grave; and that in the place where the tree 
falleth, there it shall be. 

Answer. — The first part of this objection 
respects only the state of the body in the grave, 
but cannot be brought to disprove the conscious- 
ness of the soul in a separate state, the resur- 
rection of the body, a future state of existence, 
or the final Restoration. 

The second part of this objection has not the 
least relation to the subject; but belongs to qui^e 
another matter. 

Objection. — The living have hope, but the 
dead have none, their love, hatred, envy, &c 
are perished. 



CONTENTS. 



xlix 



Ansvv'er.— -This belongs to the present lifey 
and to the state of the body in the grave, but 
forms no objection against the Restoration. 

Objection. — Our Saviour has said, the night 
Cometh when no man can work. 

Answer. — Our Lord was dihgent in his work,, 
and we ought to be go in our labors on earth, to 
which death will put an end. 

Objection. — Many terrible passages of Scrip- 
ture brought to prove the destruction and future 
misery of the wicked. 

Answer. — The Scriptures are an unanswer-- 
able objection to those who deny a future state 
of retribution, but not so to the scriptural doc- 
trine of the general Restoration. 

Question. — But does not punishm.ent harden 
and inHame, instead of softening and subduing 
the crim.inals? 

Answer. — Punishment to a certain degree 
produces the former effects, but in greater de- 
grees and longer continued, produces the latter. 

Objection. — The deplorable state of wicked 
men, their aversion to good, their love of vice, 
their hardness of heart, and opposition to every 
method taken to reclaim them, seems to render 
their Restoration an event hardly to be hoped 
for. 

Answer. — However diiiicult it may be for 
our reason to admit the possibility of such mon- 
sters of iniquity being changed and restored^ 
yet nothing is too hard for God, and therefore 
faith may lay hold on his promises, which he 
hath graciously givr.n us for our encouragement. 

Objection. — Thrie will come a time when 
the characters of all men will be so fixed and 
5 



CONTENTS. 



confirmedj that no change can afterwards take 
place upon them. He that is unjust let him be 
unjust stillj and he that is filthy, let him be filthy 
still, &c. 

Answered. — 1. By considering the words a& 
belonging to a certain period, and by the con- 
sideration of many other scriptural passages of 
a like import. 2. By comparison; as even the 
most holy creatures are unclean, compared with 
God, so those who remain filthy and unclean, 
during the present life, may be so esteemed 
hereafter, in comparison of those holy souls, 
who have purged themselves from all unclean- 
ness here, shall be reckoned as vessels of the 
highest honor in the house of God. 

Objection. — Those who add or diminish shall 
have the plagues added to them, or their part ta- 
ken out of the book of life. Sec. 

Answer. — This is no objection to the gener- 
al Restoration, but is a solemn warning for us to 
take heed that we do not fall under those dread- 
ful punishments which await unbehevers and 
profane persons, nor lose those inestimable bless- 
ings w^hich Christ has promised to the faithful, 
obedient, overcomers, &c. 

The reflections cast upon the doctrine of the 
Restoration by its opponents shewn to be highly 
absurd. 

The doctrine of annihilation considered. 

There can be but three things possible; end- 
less misery, total annihilation, or the Restora- 
tion. 

The doctrine of annihilation, or a final state 
of non-existence, proved unscriptural. 1. By 
the wicked being actually tormented for a long 



CONTENTS. 



li 



season, ages of ages. 2. Because thej are 
destroyed, not that they might cease to exist 
any more, but that they might come to know the 
Lord. 3. By the unexceptionable instance of 
Sodom and Gomorrah, &lc. who were so long 
ago destroyed, and yet shall have their captivity 
returned. 

The promises made respecting Sodom and 
Gomorrah, &lc. prove the doctrines of annihila- 
tion and endless misery, both to be erroneous 
and the restoration alone to be true. 

An objection taken from Mr. B— — 's sermon 
that sinners in hell, will be always under the 
necessity of committing fresh sin, therefore God 
will be obliged to continue their punishment to 
all eternity. 

Answered. The objection unscriptural^ 

merely a rash conjecture, totally unfounded. 

The scripture represents future punishment as 
the reward of sins committed in this world. 

Their intention is to destroy sin, and conse- 
quently will cause it to cease from being com- 
mitted. 

Whatever rage punishments may at first seem 
to provoke, they must continue until the most 
rebellious are entirely subdued. 

The last objection. That sin is infinite, being 
against an infinite object, containing infinite 
hatefulness, and justly deserves infinite punish- 
ment; and which cannot be fully executed, and 
therefore endless misery must be their portion. 

This unscriptural, unreasonable, trite objec- 
tion largely answered. 1. By shewing the ab- 
surdity of ascribing infinite actions to creatures. 
2. Acts of the highest goodness do not extend 



Ill 



CONTENTS. 



to God, cannot be infinite, much less can evil 
actions be infinite. 3. Though iniquities are 
once in Scripture styled infinite, yet it is evident 
from the whole passage compared with other 
parts of Scripture, that infinite is only used for 
a great multitude. 4. The idea of every sin 
being absolutely infinite, and deserving infinite 
punishment or endless misery, entirely confounds 
and destroys all the difierent kinds and degrees 
of sin, and all those distinctions which God hath 
made and revealed to us in the Scriptures. 5. 
God threatens to punish sinners for all their sins; 
and to render their sin and iniquity double upon 
them: and yet piomises to be gracious to them 
after all, olc. 6. Even allowing that sin is natur- 
ally infinite, and deserves infinite punishment, 
that will not prove that any of the human race 
must be miserable without end, &c. 

Eight reasons given why the author some- 
times treats in pubfic upon the doctrine of the 
Universal Restoratioij. 

Eleven reasons mentioned why the author 
doth not speak of it more frequently and fully in 
his public discourses. 



FAMILIAR DIALOGUES 



BUT WEEN A 

MINISTER ANB HIS FRIEND, 

DIALOGUE L 

^Mend. I have taken the freedom to call up- 
t)n you, to have a little discourse with you con- 
terning the doctrine of the Restoration of all 
Things^ which it is said you believe; and to pro- 
pose some objections. 

Minister. I am happy to see you, and am 
willing to discourse, as well as I am able, upon 
any subject that may be agreeable; but I have 
always made it a rule never to press the belief of 
my sentiments upon my friends; and 1 can safely 
say, that, though such great pains have been tak- 
en by my adversaries,to predjudice people against 
me, I have never gone about from house to 
house to propagate my opinions; and I make it 
a universal rule not to introduce the subject in 
conversation, unless desired; but yet I never 
have refused to own my sentiments, when asked, 
respecting the matter; and am ready, in the fear 
of God, to answer any objections that can be 
made, to a doctrine which I beUeve is plainly 
revealed in the Sciiptures of truth, and appears 
to me worthy of God. 

5* 



64 



DIALOGUES OlS THE 



Fnend. I shall first of all bring to view that 
grand objection, which is formed from the word 
eternal or everlastings being applied to a future 
state of punishment; as in the following passa- 
ges: Isaiah xxxiii. 14. The suiners in Zion 
are afraid, fearfulness hath surprised the hypo- 
crites. Who among us shall dwell with the de- 
vouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with 
everlasting burnings. 

Dan. xii. 2. And many of them that sleep 
in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to 
everlasting life, and some to shame and everlast- 
ing contempt." 

St. Matt, xviii. 8. Wherefore, if thine hand 
or thy foot offend thee (or cause thee to offend) 
cut them off, and cast them from thee; it is bet- 
ter for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, 
rather than having two hands, or two feet, to be 
cast into everlasting fire." 

St. Matt. XXV. 41. " Then shall he say also 
unto them on the led hand, depart from me, ye 
cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the dev- 
il and his angels." Verse 46, "These shall 
go away into everlasting punishment, but the 
righteous into life eternal or everlasting. '''' The 
same word in the original being used for both, 
though varied by the translators. 

St. Mark, iii. 29. " But he that shall blas- 
pheme against the Holy Ghost, hath never for- 
Sjiveness; but is in danger of eternal damnation." 

2 Thes. i. 7, 8, 9. The Lord Jesus shall be 
revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in 
flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that 
know not God, and that obey not the gospel of 
our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall be punished 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION, 



55 



v/ith eve^'lasling destruction, from the presence 
of the Lord, and from the glory of his power." 

Judge, 6, 7. ''And the Angels which kept 
not their first estate, but left their own habita- 
tion, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under 
darkness, unto the judgment of the great day: 
even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities 
about Ihem in like manner, giving themselves 
over unto fornication, and going after strange 
flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the 
vengeance of eternal fire." 

These texts, together, form such an objection 
to the doctrine of the Restoration, that I can by 
no means believe it, unless this can be fairly an- 
swered, and proofs brought from the Scriptures 
to shew, that the words everlasting and eternal^ 
(which are translations of the same v/ord and 
synonymous) being connected with the punish- 
ment of the wicked, and their future misery, do 
not necessarily imply the continuance of the 
same while God exists. 

Minister. I am glad that you have so fairly 
and fully stated the matter; and I highly comm.end 
your resolution, not to believe the universal doc- 
trine, unless this can be answered fully, without 
any torturing or twisting the Scriptures; and if 
I am not able with God's assistance, to remove 
this difficulty, I will publicly recant my senti- 
ments. 

But, before I come to give a direct answer, I 
would beg leave to rem.ark how very seldom this 
word is used to express the duration of punish- 
ment. We should think, by some sermons w e 
hear, that everlasting is applied to misery in eve- 
ry book of the Nev/ Testament, if not in eve- 



66 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



ry chapter. A friend of mine told me, that he 
was once preaching in Maryland, and after ser- 
mon a man came and asked him, of what de- 
nomination he was ? To which he answered, 
a Baptist. I think, says the man, that you do 
not preach up so much everlasting damnatioii as 
the Baptists and Methodists among us do. To 
which my friend replied, everlasting damnation 
is found in the Scripture. True, answered the 
man; but, some preachers give us more of it in 
one sermon than is to be found in the whole Bi- 
ble. The truth of this remark will appear, if we 
consider that St. Luke, never uses the word aio?i- 
ion or everlastings as connected with the misery of 
the wicked, in his gospel; nor St. Mark but once, 
and then in a particular case only. In the gos- 
pel of St. John, it is not to be found at all in that 
connexion, nor in any of his epistles: in the 
account of the preaching of the apostles through 
the world, in the first age of Christianity, we do 
not find it mentioned, in that light, so much as 
once: no, not in all the sermons, and parts of 
sermons, which St. Luke has preserved in the 
book of the Acts: though the doctrine everlast- 
ing damnation is the substance of many modern 
discourses. St. Paul never mentions everlast- 
ing destruction but once, though his writings 
form such a considerable part of the Xew Tes- 
tament. Neither are such words found in the 
epistle of St. James, or in those of St. Peter, 
and but three times in the gospel of St. Mat- 
thew : and only twice in all the Old Testament. 
But was the word aionion applied to misery but 
once in the whole Bible, it would deserve a se- 
rious consideration; and unless the force of it 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 



57 



can be removed by the authority of the Scrip- 
tures, it must remain an unanswerable objection. 
But I shall proceed to answer it, by bringing an 
equal number of passages where the word ev- 
erlasting is applied to things and times , that have 
had, or must have, an end. As in the following 
passages: Gen. xvii. 7, 8. And I will establish 
my covenant between me and thee, and thy seed 
after thee, in their generations, for an evtrlasi- 
ing covenant; to be a God unto thee, and to thy 
seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and 
to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art 
a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlast- 
ing possession'^ and I will be their God.'' Verse 
13. " He that is born in thy house, and bought 
with thy money, must needs be circumcised : 
and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an ev- 
erlasting covenant . " 

Here note that the land of Canaan is called 
an everlasting possession; and the covenant of 
circumcision in the flesh, an everlasting co\evi2iniy 
though it is certain that the land of Canaan, as 
weU as the other parts of the earth must be 
dissolved or melted, in the general conflagra- 
tion; and circumcision is now declared null and 
void by the Holy Ghost; and the ceremony can- 
not endure to endless ages. 

Of the same kind are the following passages: 
Gen. xlviii^ 3, 4. And Jacob said unto Joseph, 
God Almighty appeared to me at Luz, in the 
land of Canaan, and blessed me : and said unto 
me, behold, I will make thee fruitful, and 
multiply thee, and will make of thee a multitude 
of people ; and will give this land to thy seed 
after thee, for an everlasting possession." And 



58 



DIALOGUES ON THK 



in the blessing of Joseph he says, *^The bles- 
sings of thy father have prevailed above the 
blessings of my progenitors, unto the utmost 
bound, of the everlasting hills." By which, I 
suppose, the hills of the land of Canaan were 
meant. 

God saith to Moses, Exod. xL 15. ^^And, 
thou shalt annoint them (Aaron's sons) as thou 
annoint their father, that they may minister 
unto me in the priest's office ; for their annoint- 
ing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood, 
throughout their generations." Lev. xvi, 84. 
^^And this shallbe an erer/as/mg- statute unto you, 
to make an atonement for the children of Israel 
for all their sins, once a year; and he did as Je- 
hovah commanded Moses." 

The apostle declares, that these everlasting 
ordinances were only till the time of Reformation, 
Heb. ix. 10. and this everlasting priesthood of 
Aaron's son, had ceased long ago: ^^For the 
priesthood being changed (by Christ) there is, 
of necessity a change also of the law: for he of 
whom these things are spoken pertaineth to an- 
other tribe, of whom no man gave attendance at 
the altar : for it is evident that our Lord sprang 
out of Judah; of which tribe Moses spake noth- 
ing concerning priesthood. And it is yet far 
more evident, for that, after the similitude of 
Melchisedek, there ariseth another priest, who 
is made not after the law of a carnal command- 
ment, but after the power of an endless life: 
for he testifieth that, thou art a priest forever, 
after the order of Melchisedek: for there is ver- 
ily a disannulhng of the commandment going 
before for the weakness and unprofitableness 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. S9 

thereof." Heb, vii. 12, 18. The whole sum of 
the apostle's argument^ in this epistle, tends to 
prove that the everlasting ordinance is now no 
more; and the everlasting priesthood of Aa- 
ron and his sons is now abolished. 

Another passage where the word everlasting 
is evidently used in a limited sense, is Numb, 
XXV. 11, 12, 13, where we read thus: ^^Phinehas, 
the son of Eleazer, the son of Aaron the priest, 
hath turned my wrath away from the children of 
Israel while he was zealous for my sake among 
them, that I consumed not the children of Israel 
in my jealousy. Wherefore say, behold, I give 
unto him my covenant of peace: and he shall 
have it, and his seed after him, even the cov- 
enant of an everlasting priesthood: because he 
was zealous for his God, and made an atonement 
for the children of Israel." 

If the word everlasting intends endless duration^ 
how shall we be able to reconcile this promise 
with the total cessation of the Levitical Priest- 
hood ? As for the family of Phinehas, with whom 
this covenant of an everlasting priesthood was 
made, it was entirely deprived of the benefit of 
the same, within the space of four hundred years: 
for when the sons of Eli transgressed the cove- 
nant, by profaning it, God sent him wwd, that as 
they had broken it on their parts, it was entirely, 
and to all intents and purposes, dissolved. Read 
1 . Sam. ii. from the beginning of the 12th verse 
to the end of the 17th, and from the 27th to the 
end of the chapter: and also, chap. iii. 11,12, 
13, 14. 

I will transcribe verse 30, of the second chap- 
ter in proof of my point. "Wherefore Jehovah, 
God of Israel, saith, I said indeed, that thy 



GO 



DIALOG l ES ON THE 



hoiisCj and the house of thy father should walk 
before me for ever: but now Jehovah saith, be \ 
it far from me, for them that honor me, I wili 
honor; and they that despise me, shall be hghtly 
esteemed." Mophmi, and Phinehas, were soon 
after slain in one day; and Saul the King of Israel, 
sent Doag the Edomite, who fell upon the 
priests and slew fourscore and five persons, who 
wore a linen ephod, in one day. ^'And Nob, the 
city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the 
sword; both men, and women, and children, and 
suclings, and oxen, and asses, and sheep, with 
the edge of the sword." 1 Sam. xxii. 19. The 
w^hole house of Phinehas seems to have been de- 
stroyed at this time except Abiather; and when 
Solomon came to the throne he thrust him out 
from being priest, that he might fulfil the v/ord 
of Jehovah, which he spake concerning the 
house of Eli, in Shiloh," I Kings, ii. 27. From 
this time the house of Ithamar had the priest- 
hood. 

It is so evident that the word which is trans- 
lated everlastings cannot in the nature of things, 
absolutely signify, ivitlwui eiid^ that I should not 
think it worth while to quote any more passa- 
ges in proof of its intending age or ages^ cnly, 
w^ere it not constantly used as a great objection 
against the universal Restoration ; I shall, there- 
fore, instance two or three more in particular, in 
this place, and refer to a great number of oth- 
ers, of the same kind ; all tending to prove the 
same thing. Hab. iii. 6, The everlasiing mou^i- 
tains were scattered, the perpetual hills did bow." 
The gospel is called The everlasting gospel," 
Rev. xiv. G, yet it must cease to be preached, 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. Gl 

when it shall be needed no longer. Jonah saith, 
" The earth with her bars was about me forever; 
yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption; 
O Jehovah, my God." Jonah ii. 6. But it 
would be the highest absurdity upon the suppo- 
sition that the word Legnolam, here rendered 
forever J properly signifies without endy for him to 
say, that his life was brought up from corruption; 
and, therefore, we know that he could not use it 
in that sense, because, on the third day, he was 
delivered from his dreadful prison. There is no 
doubt but the time that he was there, seemed an 
age, and, while he was thus shut up, there was 
no intermission to the darkness, and distress that 
overwhelmed him ; and, therefore he might say, 
with propriety, that earth, with her bars was 
about him, forever (i. e. perpetually without ces- 
sation) during the period he remained in the 
fish's belly ; which appeared to him, as a long 
age indeed. But, as it would be a work of much 
time and labor to mention all the passages where 
the word translated forever, evidently intends 
only an age, or period, I shall just direct you to 
the following ; which you may look over at your 
leisure. 

Gen. xiii. 15. xliii. 9. xliv. 32. — Exod. xii. 14, 
17, 24. xxi. 6. xxvii. 21. xxviii. 43. xxix. 9, 28. 
XXX. 21. xxxi. 16, 17. xxxii. 13. — Lev. iii. 17. 
vi. 13, 18, 20, 22. vii. 34, 36. x. 9, 15. xvi. 29, 
31. xxiii. 14, 21, 31, 41. xxiv. 3. xxv. 30, 46.— 
Numb. X. 8. XV. 15. xviii. 8, 19. xix. 10. — 
Deut. iv. 40. xv. 17. xviii. 5, 28, 46. — Josh. iv. 
7. xiv. 9.— 1 Sam. ii. 30. iii. 13. xxvii. 12. xxviii, 
2.— 1 Kings, xii. 7.-2 Kings, v. 27.-2 Chron- 
icles, X. 7. 

6 



62 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



Here are more than fifty passages, where the 
word rendered for ever intends only age^ or ages; 
to which many more might be added. 

Now the rule for understanding words is this: 
— What must be the meaning of the word, in 
many places, and what may be the meaning in 
nil ; is the true sense of the same. 

Friend. Although the single word forever ^ in 
these passages, seems evidently to intend cer- 
tain unknown limited periods ; yet what can you 
do with those texts that say, the misery of the 
wicked shall endure /or ever and ever. 

Mifiister. Indeed they are terrible threat- 
nings; and no doubt will be fully executed. 

Friend. But, do you imagine that such pas- 
sages as the following can intend less than end- 
less misery ? Rev. xiv. 11. And the smoke of 
their torment ascendelh up, for ever and. ever ; 
and they have no rest day nor night, who w^or- 
ship the beast and his image, and whosoever re- 
ceiveth the mark of his name." Rev. xix. 3. 

And here smoke rose up for ever and ever." 
Rev. XX. 10. And the devil, that deceiveth 
them, was cast into the lake of fire and brim- . 
stone, where the beast and the false prophet are, 
and shall be tormented day and night, for ever 
and erer." 

Minister. I confess you have proposed a dif- 
ficulty that I should judge to be unanswerable, 
v/ere it not for the following considerations : 

1st. If forever and ever is a longer time than 
forever, which must be granted ; then is there 
some proportion between them : thus, if forever 
intends an age, peiiod, or sometimes ages ; for- 
ever and ever, may intend ages, an age of ages : 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION, 



63 



but any iwo'porlion at all between two periods 
supposes both to have an endy or there could he 
no proportion. 

2dly. I find a time promised, when, " there 
shall be no more death ; neither sorrow nor cry- 
ing 5 neither shall there be any more pain ; tor 
the former things are (or shall then be) passed 
away. And he that sat upon the throne said, 
behold^ I make all things new. And he said 
unto me (John) write ; for these words are true 
and faithful." Rev. xxi. 4, 5. 

3dly. I think there is sufficient reason, from 
the words of St. Peter, in his second epistle, Sd 
chapter, 5, 6, 7, 10, U, 12th verses, to conclude, 
that as the earth was once overflowed with wa- 
ter, and became truly a lake of water, wherein 
the world of ungodly men perished ; so, by the 
general conflagration, the same shall become 
literally the lake of fire and brimstone, in which 
'the wicked shall be punished after the day of 
/ judgment : but I also think, that the 13th verse 
of the same chapter, compared with Rev, xxi. 1 . 
Isaiah Ixv. IT. Ixvi. 22, more than intimates, 
that the new heaven and earth shall be created 
out of the substance of the old, dissolved by the 
fire ; that the new earth shall no more have a 
sea therein, seems to imply, that in its former 
state, it had a sea, or why this expression, and 
there was no more sea." — Now, if this hypothe- 
sis is right, the following will be the true state of 
the case, viz. 

The lake of fire is expressly declared to be 
'4he second death," Rev. xx. 14. The earth, 
in its burnt, melted and dissolved state, will be 
the general lake of fire and brimstone accord- 



64 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



ing to the verses above cited from St. Peter, 
There will be a new heaven and a new earth, 
created out of the substance of the old, in which 
there w^ill be no more sea, either of water, or of 
liquid fire ; consequently the lake of fire, or 
second death, (which are declared to be synon- 
ymous) must end; and, of course, the punish- 
ment of the second death must then cease. 

4thly. The smoke of their torments is to as- 
cend up for ever and ever^ and they are to be 
tormented day and night. But, as the smoke of 
their burning earth must cease, when its sub- 
stance is entirely dissolved or melted, and all 
combustible bodies are consumed; and as it is 
intimated in Job xxvi. 10, that day and night 
shall come to an end; and in Rev. xxi. 25, it is 
said of the New Jerusalem, ^'And the gates of 
it shall not be shut at all by day, for there shall 
be no night there." For all these reasons, I 
cannot be altogether persuaded, that their being 
tormented day and nighty forever and ever, dur- 
ing which time the smoke of their torment shall 
constantly ascend, is quite equal to endless mis- 
ein/, especially as there shall come a time when 
death shall be no more, pain shall be no more, 
son^ow shall be no more, smoke shall probably 
ascend no more, and peradventure, night shall 
be no more. 

5thly. But the great reason of all, why I do 
not conceive that forever and ever^ doth certain- 
ly intend endless duration^ is because I find the 
words as oflen used for times and periods, that 
must have an end, as you find them used for the 
misery of the wicked. — You bring three passa- 
ges, which are all that are to be found in the 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 65 



whole Bible, where they are used in that sense, 
I shall now invalidate those evidences for end- 
less damnaiion, by bringing an equal number of 
texts where you will allow the words are used in 
a limited sense. 

Friend. Is it possible that you can find any 
such passages in the Bible ? Pray shew them to 
me. 

Minisier. Isa. xxx. 8. " Now go, write it be- 
fore them in a table, and note it in a book, that 
it may be for the time to come, forever and 

See Jer. vii. 1, 7. The 7th verse is, Then 
will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the 
land that I gave to your fathers, forever and ev- 
er.'' 

Jer. XXV. 5. " Turn ye again, now, every one 
from his evil way, and every one from the evil 
of your doing, and dwell in the land that Jeho- 
vah hath given unto you, and to your fathers, 
for ever and ever.'' 

These passages are as many, and as strongly 
expressed, as those which you brought to prove 
endless misery; and yet nothing can be more ev- 
ident than that they cannot intend endless dura- 
tion. Here, these periods must be limited by 
the great conflagration ; and thus (for ought that 
appears as yet) the misery of the wicked may be 
limited^ notwithstanding the use of those expres- 
sions, to set forth its dreadful continuance to un- 
known ages; at least, those words do not neces- 
sarily imply, that they shall never, as long as 
God lives, be delivered from their sins and con- 
sequent sufferings. 

6* 



66 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



If we were always to read for ever and ever, 
endless, we should set the scriptures at variance ; 
and no criticism could ever reconcile them. 
Try, for instance, to reconcile Psalm cii. 25, 26, 
with Psalm cxlviii. 6. " Of old hast thou laid 
the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are 
the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but 
thou shalt endure; yea, all of them shall wax 
old Hke a garment; as a vesture shalt thou 
change them, and they shall be changed. He 
hath also established them forever and ecer; he 
hath made a decree which shall not pass." 

Nov^, if the 'words forever and ever signify 
without end^ then there is a contradiction that 
cannot be reconciled; but only understand them 
ages of ages, (as, indeed, they ought to be ren- 
dered) and the whole difficulty vanishes at once. 

Suppose a person should read Rev. xx. 11. 
and xxi. 1. ^^And I saw a great white throne, 
and him that sat upon it, from whose face the 
earth and the heaven iied a^vay; and there was 
found no place for them. And I saw a new 
heaven and anew earth; for the first heaven and 
the first earth were passed away; and there was 
no more sea:" and should then say, these vis- 
ions cannot be true, because Solomon hath said, 
" One generation passeth away, and another 
cometh, but the earth abideth/o?* ei-er." Eccl. i. 
4. ^'And God laid the foundations of the earth, 
that it should not be removed, for ere)'," Psalm 
civ. 4. The world also is established that it 
cannot be moved." Psalm xciii. 1. See also 
Psalm Ixxviii, 69. and xcvi. 10, What would 
you think of such reasoning? Just so weak, 
must all the reasoning against the universal Res- 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. ^ 67 



toratioii be, from the words for ever and for ever 
and 6i;er, being applied to states of future mise- 
ry, if God had promised to put an end to them 
all, by reconcihng all things to himself, destroy- 
ing sin, and introducing a new creation, and a 
state of universal and permanent happiness: for 
if such promises really exist, and their exist- 
ence can be demonstrated, all reasoning against 
them must be vain and futile. 

Friend. It is certain, that when the word/or- 
ever is applied to things of this life and the world, 
it intends a 'period; but when applied to spiritual 
matters, and things of another world, it must be 
endless, -according to my judgment; and I am 
apt to think, you will find it so too. 

Minister. I am certain that you will soon be 
convinced to the contrary. The apostle, speak- 
ing of Christ, says, But this man, after he had 
offered one sacrifice for sins, Jor ever sat down 
on the right hand of God; from henceforth, ex- 
pecting till his enemies be made his footstool. 
Heb. X. 12, 13. You will please to notice, that 
Christ's sitting down in the heavens, on the 
right hand of God, is not a circumstance belong- 
ing to this ivorld or the things of time; and he is 
to set there Jor ever; and yet that period, which, 
according to your hypothesis, must be endless^ 
is expressly limited by the sacred writings. The 
heavens have received him, " until the times 
(seasons, or ages) of restitution of all things,'' 
(that is till the beginning, and not the ending of 
of those times) which God hath spoken of 
by the mouth of all his holy prophets since 
the world began." Acts, iii. 21. And the 
whole New Testament teacheth us, to wait for 



68 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



the coming of Jesus, from heaven; (1 Thes. i, 
10.) which would be highly absurd, upon the sup- \ 
position, that he is always to abide there: which 
yet he must, if the word for ever, as applied to 
things of another state, intends endless duration. 

Fnend. I confess, I never observed this be- 
fore. — But, do you know of any passages in the 
New Testament, where the words, forever and 
€fer, certainly intend limited duration? For I 
observed, that all the instances you brought 
were from the Old Testament. 

Minister. Yes: Heb. 1. 8. But unto the 
Son he saith, " Thy throne, (in distinction 
from the throne of the Father) O God, is for ever 
and euer;" yet we read, (1 Cor. xv. 34, 28.) of 
the end, when he shall have delivered up the 
kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall 
have put down all rule, and all authority and 
power; then shall the Son also himself, be sub- 
ject unto him that put all things under him, that 
God may be all in all." 

Friend. But when Christ threatened sinners, 
with everlasting fire, everlasiing punishment, and 
eternal damnation; did not his expressions natural- 
ly convey the idea of endless raisery? And may 
not the Son of God be accused of duplicity and 
deceit, if he did not mean to denounce punish' 
ment ivithout end! And, therefore, if we be- 
lieve his words to be true, as most certainly they 
are, we must reject the doctrine of the restora- 
tion, which puts an end to a state, which is called 
everlastings by the mouth of truth itself- — Are 
you able to answer this fairly ? 

Minister. If I am not able to answer this ob- 
jection, which you have stated in the strongest 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 69 

manner, I assure you, I will confess myself in 
an error; and shall thank you, (as an instrument) 
for bringing me to know it. The same objec- 
tion that you make against the Restoration, the 
Jews make against Christ and his religion; for 
they argue thus: God is an unchangeable Being, 
and he declared, in most solemn manner, that 
the ordinances of the Levitical dispensation 
should be everlastings and the annointing of Aa- 
ron's sons should be an everlasting priesthood, 
throughout their generations; (See Exod. xl. 15. 
and Lev. xvi. 34.) — and, therefore, we must re- 
ject the Messiah of the Christians, as an impos- 
tor; inasmuch as he pretends to abolish those 
statutes, which God hath called everlastings and 
to set himself up as a Priest, contrary to the ex- 
press promise of the Lord, who cannot lie, nor 
repent that Aaron and his sons should have an 
e^er/asitng priesthood ; and, therefore, if this is 
the true Messiah, God meant to deceive us when 
he promised us these everlasting blessings, and 
privileges, which, we must suppose were only 
for a times if Christianity be true; therefore, we 
reject it, as being inconsistent with the promises 
of God. 

It is evident, from this view of the matter, 
that the Jews reject Christ and his religion, upon 
as good ground, as you reject the Universal 
Restoration, and perhaps better; for you have 
nothing to plead against the Restoration, but 
some threatenings of punishments, which are 
called everlasting or eternals in our translation, 
but they plead express promises of th© everlast- 
ing continuance of their church state and wor- 
ship, in opposition to Christianity. But if it be 



10 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



true that both the Hebrew and Greek words, 
which our translators have rendered by the Eng- 
lish word everlastings do not intend endless dura- 
tion but a hidden period, or periods; then the 
ground is changed at once, and the Jews have 
no right to object against Christianity, because 
God promised a continuance of their temple 
worship, for a certain age, or hidden period; nor 
the Christians to reject the universal Restora- 
tion, because God hath threatened the rebellious 
with such dreadful punishments, v/hich shall en- 
dure through periods, expressed in the same 
terms. It is indeed confessed by some of the 
most learned Jews, that they have no word in 
their language, which absolutely signifies endless 
dm'atio7i; therefore they can only argue the end- 
less continuance of any thing from its nature, 
and not merely from the words rendered forever^ 
or everlasting. And if this is the truth of the 
case (as who can deny it?) then, neither did 
Jehovah speaks to deceive the children of Is- 
rael, when he promised them blessings of such 
long continuance which have ended long ago, 
and which are never to be restored by virtue of 
that covenant which he made with their fathers, 
when he brought them out of Egypt; but by 
the new covenant which he will make with 
them when he shall return them to their own 
land; nor did the Son of God speak to deceive, 
when he threatened the wicked with those pun- 
ishments, which shall not end till they have an- 
swered the purposes for which it seems reasona.- 
ble to believe they shall be inflicted, viz. to bring 
them down and humble their proud and stubborn 
hearts; which shall be done, during the periods 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 



71 



of his kingdom, before he shall have delivered 
it up to the Father, that God may be all in all. 

Friend. But if I should grant that the word 
aionion doth not even in the New Testament al- 
ways signify endless duration^ yet what would you 
gain by it^ since it is plain that Christ hath set 
the happiness of the righteous^ and the misery of 
the ivickedy one against the other; and hath ex- 
pressed the continuance of both, by the same 
word, aionion^ in St. Matth. xxv. 46. Here, the 
punishment of the wicked, and the life ot the 
righteous, are both declared to be aionion or eter- 
nal, without distinction. Now can you show me 
any passage of scripture, where the same word 
is applied to two differerit things, whose existence 
is not the same, or the time of their continuance 
- not alike ? 

Minister, Fairly stated! And if it be not ag 
fairly answered, it shall be looked upon as an 
insuperable difficulty. But, happily, there is a 
passage in Hab. iii. 6, Vv^here the same word is 
used for very dilierent things; He stood and 
measured the earth; He beheld, and drove asun- 
der the nations; and the everlasting mountains 
were scattered, tha perpetual hills did bow. His 
ways are everlasting. " In our translation, the 
mountains, and the. ways of God, are called ev- 
erlastings and the hills perpetual ; but in the orig- 
inal, the word gnad is applied to the mountains^ 
and the word gnolam to the hills, and the ways 
of God. But whether we argue from the orig- 
inal or from the translation, it makes no differ- 
ence. The question is, are the mountains, or 
the hills, eternal in the same sense in which the 
ways of God are? If so, the earth must have 
existed coeval with the ways of Jehovah, and the 



72 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



hills, and mountainSj must never be removed, 
while his ways endure; and, as his ways can 
never be destroyed, the absolute eternity not of 
the earth only, but of its present form, its moun- 
tains and hills, must be inferred; contrary to 
Isaiah xl. 4. xliv. 10. — Ezek. xxxviii. 20. — Pet. 
iii. 7, 10, 11, 12.— Rev. xvi. 20 xx. ll._]\ay, 
even in this very text, the ways of God are spo- 
ken of as being of a different nature from the 
mountains, which were scattered, and the hills, 
which did boiv. 

Thus, no solid argument can be drawn from 
the application of the same word to different 
things, to prove that they shall be equal in their 
continuance, unless their nature be the same. 

Thus in the Greek iNew Testament, in Rom. 
xvi. 25, we read of the mystery which hath been 
kept secret, from Chronois aioniois, and in the 
26 verse, we find, that it is now made known by 
the commandment Ton aionion Theou. But 
must it be argued, that because aiomois is appli- 
ed to times, and aionion to God; therefore, times 
are as ancient as Jehovah, and must continue 
while he exists.^ The absurdity of this is too 
glaring. Our translators have rendered Chro- 
nois aio7iiois,'^ since the world began," instead ^^of 
eternal times;" and have thereby shown their 
judgment to be, that words cannot change the 
subjects to which they are applied, but the 
meaning of the words m.ust be determined by 
the nature of the subject. 

In Jer. xxviii. 8. the word hegnolam is used in 
the Hebrew; but the translators did not think 
themselves obliged to render it ''f-rom everlast- 
ing''^ or, ''from eternity as it would have been 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 73 



highly absurd to have read^ eternal prophets, or 
prophets which were from eternity; and have 
therefore rendered it ''of old?"^ though it is a 
stronger word than gnad^ which they have trans- 
lated eternity. '''' Isa. Ivii. 15. 

Many other instances of the Kke nature might 
be brought; but these are fully sufficient to con- 
vince any unprejudiced mind, that nothing can 
be concluded in favor of endless 'punishment^ from 
the word aionion being used to set forth the du- 
ration of it, as well as the duration of that life 
which our Saviour promises to the righteous. 

But upon the supposition that our Saviour in- 
tends no more by the life eternal," in the 46th 
verse of the xxvth of St. Matthew's gospel, than 
he doth in the 34th verse, by '' the kingdom pre- 
pared from the foundation of the world," (which 
it would be hard to prove) then an answer might 
be given without all this labor, in this manner, 
viz. that as the Father hath appointed Christ a 
kingdom, so he hath also appointed his saints a 
kingdom; (see St. Luke, xxii. 29,30. Rev. ii. 
26,27. iii. 21.) but as the kingdom which the 
Father hath given to Christ, as a Mediator, and 
as Judge^ shall end., v/hen he shall have subdu- 
ed all things, and put dow^n all rule, and authori- 
ity, and power; (See 1 Cor. xv, 24, 25, 26, 27^ 
28 ) so, of consequence, that kingdom w4iich is 
given to the saints or overcomers, to subdue the 
nations, shall also end^ when they all shall be 
subdued, and brought to submit. But as the 
glory of Christ shall not be lessened but increas- 
ed., when God shall be all in all; so the hap- 
piness of the saints shall be so far from ending 
or being diminished., at that period^ that it shall 
7 



74 



DIALOGUES Oi^ THE 



then arrive at the summit of perfection; but shalf 
never close nor decrease while Jehovah en- 
dures. 

Some time ago, a woman came to hear me, 
and I happened to mention in my sermon, that 
Christ's mediatorial kingdom was called everlast- 
ing or aionion; but that if mws^ come to an endy 
when the kingdom should be delivered up to the 
Father, when he should have put down ail rule, 
and all authority and power. After sermon, she 
was asked how she liked? She answered, ^'Not 
at all: he says the ei'€r/asfi?ig* kingdom of Christ 
shall end; and I never heard of such a thing 
before in all my life; and I am sure it must be 
contrary to Scripture." The person who asked 
her, told her, that there was such a text some- 
where^ she could not tell exactly v/here to find 
it. But the woman persisted in it, that there 
was no such text; and went away full of preju- 
dice. Now, had this passage of Scripture been 
in the book of Revelations, it would not have 
been so much to be wondered at, that she had 
never heard of it; but when we consider, that 
this is expressed in that part of the 15th chap- 
ter of St. Paul's first epistle to the Corinth- 
ians, which is in the burial service — what shall 
we say ? 

Thus, if Chrisfs kingdom shall end, much 
more Sata^i^s! If rewards, as such, shall cease, 
how much more puniskmenis ! If the everlasting 
kingdom of the saints, which they shall possess 
forever and ever(See Dan. vii. 18,27) shall end, 
or be swallowed up in that kingdom of boundless 
love, where God shall be all in all; how much 
more^ shall all sin, pain, sorrow and death, 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 



15 



cease, and have no more a name in God's crea* 
tion! 

Ftiend, But supposing the doctrine of endless 
misery to be a truth, ho¥/ would you expect to 
fmd it expressed in the Bible ? 

Minister. I should have a right to expect, in 
the first place, that there would be no promises 
in the Scripture to the contrary; no such passa- 
ges as these: ^'For I have sworn by myselfj 
the word is gone out of my mouth in right- 
eousness, and shall not return; that unto me 
every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall 
swear;" Isaiah xlv. 23. Mind well every 
Tor^GUE SHALL SWEAR. Swcaring allegiance, 
as every civijian will tell you, impHes pardon^ 
reception and protection^ on the part of the king; 
and a hearty renouncing of rehelliony true subjec- 
tionj and vjilling obedience^ on the part of the 
rebels. Kings of the earth may be deceived, 
but God cannot; he will never accept of any 
feigned subjection ; and, therefore, all that swear, 
shall swear in truth and righteousness; — so shall 
rebellion cease, and disobedience be no more. 

The apostle St. Paul, seems to quote this 
passage of scripture with some variation, in his 
epistle to the PhilHppians, Chap. ii. 9, 10, 11; 
where, speaking of the sufferings of Christ, and 
the consequences of the same, he says, ^'Where- 
fore God also hath highly exalted him, and giv- 
en him a name which is above every name ; that 
at ( or in ) the name of Jesus every knee shall 
bow, of thi.'gs in heaven, and things in earth, 
and things under the earth; and that every 
tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, 
to the glory of God the Father." Now this 



76 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



confession appears to me to imply a icilUng sub- 
jection to the authority of the Saviour^ brought a- 
bout by the operation of the blessed Spirit; for 
the same apostle saith, Wherefore, I give you 
to miderstand, that no m^an, speaking by the 
Spirit of God, calieth Jesus accursed; and no 
man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the 
Holy Ghost." 1 Cor. xii. 3. 

Then the argument thrown into a syllogistic- 
al form, will run thus: 

If every knee shall bow, of things in heaven, 
and things in earth, and things under the eaith; 
then shall all rebellion cease. 

But the first is true; Therefore also the last. 
If every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ 
is Lord to the glory of God the Father; and no 
man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the 
Holy Ghost; then shall the Holy Ghost work 
effectually in every man. As the major is pro- 
ved by Phil. ii. 1 1, and the minor by 1 Cor. xii. 3, 
the conclusion must be evident to a demonstra- 
tion. 

Fmend. I acknowledge, that in the present 
state, no man can say that Jesus is the Lord but 
by the Holy Ghost; but when they shall stand 
before his bar, they shall confess him Lord, to 
the glory of God the Father by force. 

Minister. But St, Paul speaks generally, 
That no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, 
but by the Holy Ghost." He does not mention 
time or place, but represents the matter im.possi- 
ble; beside every expression here ^ sed, implies 
a icillingj and not a forced siibjeciion; as bow- 
ing in the name of Jesif.s and confessing hirn to 
be Lord of all, to the glory of God the Father.. 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION, 



77 



Friend, But we are sometimes told, that God 
is as much gloritied by the eternal damnation of 
some, as by the eternal salvation of others. 

Minister. I have, indeed, heard some assert 
the same. But as the glory of God is the ulti- 
mate end of all that he doth, we may properly ask, 
why he should take any pains to save mankind? 

But, above all, there is one objection that may 
be brought against this idea, which is hard to an- 
swer; and that is, God hath said, " For I have 
no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith 
the Lord God. Say unto them, as I live, saith 
the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death 
of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his 
way, and live; turn ye, turn ye, from your evil 
ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?" 
Ezek. xviii. 23. xxxiii. 11. It is evident to me, 
that God must take pleasure in what glorifies his 
name; and as he hath sworn that he takes no 
pleasure in the death of the wicked, it must be 
set down fjr a truth, that 'punishment^ without 
having the reformation and subjection of rebels 
for its end, is unworthy of the Being we adore; 
and even nov/, it is called ''his strange worky^'^ 
and " his strange act.^^ But to proceed: If enc?- 
less misery were a truth, I should not expect 
that the mystery of the will of God, which he 
hath made known unto his chosen, according to 
his good pleasure, which he hath purposed in 
himself would be, " That, in the dispensation of 
the fulness of times, he might gather together 
in one (or rehead) all things in Christ, both 
which are in heaven, and which are in earth," 
Ephes. i. 9, 10. Far less should I expect to 
find, that '' it pleased the Father that in him 



■^8 DIALOGUES ON THE 

should all fulness dwell; and, having made peace 
by the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all 
things to himself; by him, I say, whether they 
be things in earth, or things in heaven." — Col. 
i. 19,20. And I am not able to imagine, how 
St. John's vision (Rev. v. 13.) could be just, if 
endless damnation is true, where he says, And 
every creature in heaven, and on earth, and un- 
der the earth, and such as are in the sea, all that 
are in them, heard I saying, blessing, and honor, 
and glory, &c power, be unto him that sitteth upon 
the throne, & unto the Lamb forever & ever.'' In 
the nature of things, it appears impossible to me 
to believe these passages to be strictly and liter- 
ally true, if endless misery be a truth: therefore 
I say, that I should not expect any intimation^ 
far less absolute promises^ that God would destroy 
death, the works of the devil, and make all things 
new, with many others of the like nature. 

We find it promised, that every knee shall 
bow; and lest some might say, that evenj knee, 
meant only some knees, it is explained by the in- 
spired apostle, to mean all things in heaven and 
in earth, and under the earth; and not only so, 
but every tongue shall swear, and confess that 
Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the 
Father; which could not be, except all were rje- 
conciled to him, whether things in heaven, or 
things in earth: wherefore this is also promised; 
and, in consequence of their being subdued, 
humbled, made obedient, and reconciled, they 
shall be reheaded in Christ; never more to go as- 
tray, nor break that band of eternal union, which 
shall bind all together in one body, joined to one 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 



79 



head; and all shall give never ceasing praise to 
God and the Lamb^ loorld loithout end. 

As endless damnation appears to me to be 
against the promises, I cannot hold it as an arti- 
cle of my faith; but were there no promises or 
intimations to the contrary in Scripture, I should 
not require it to be threatened in any stronger 
terms than it is; I should beHeve it as a truth, 
though I might not be able at present, to see the 
propriety and equity thereof; I should never suf- 
fer my weak reason to gainsay Divine Revela- 
tion: but my difficulty arises from these express 
promises of God, which compose so great a part 
of that book which is given us as a rule of faith 
and practice; and which promises expressly as- 
sert a future state of things beyond sin, sor- 
row, pain, and death of every kind; when all 
things shall be made new; and death, the last 
enemy of God, Christ, and man, shall be de- 
stoyed, swallowed up in victory; and sin, which 
is its sting, shall be no more in existence; and 
tears shall be all wiped away from all faces. 

But, though I have acknowledged that I should 
not dare to dispute the doctrine of endless dam- 
nation, unless God had given intimations, and 
even promises to the contrary; since I find sev- 
eral dreadful threatenings in the Scripture, in 
which the word aionion, or everlasting, is joined 
with the punishment of the wricked; yet a very 
little attention will shew us, that the felicity of 
the righteous is promised in much stronger lan- 
guage, than the misery of the wicked is threat- 
ened in the Scriptures. 

I remark in the first place, that the word aion- 
ion, rendered everlasting, or eternal, is used much 



80 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



oflener in St. John's gospel alone, to express the 
continuance of the life, or well being, of the 
righteous, than it is used in the whole Bible, to 
express the misery of the wicked; and this re- 
mark is strengthened by observing that he never 
once uses the word in his whole gospel^ nor in 
his epistles, to set forth the duration of punish- 
ment. See St. John, iii. 15, 16, 36. iv. 14. v. 
24. vi. 27, 40, 47, 54, 68. x. 28. xii. 25, 50. xvii. 
2, 3, in all which passages, the word aionion is 
used to express the continuance of the well be- 
ing of the righteous. 

But not to insist on this: I observe, that there 
are many stronger expressions (even in our 
translation) to set forth the well being of the 
righteous, than any that are used as connected 
with the misery of the wicked. Isaiah xlv. 17. 
we read, Israel shall be saved in Jehovah 
with an everlasting salvation;, ye shall not be 
ashamed, nor confounded, icorld xvithoid end."^^ 
But where do we read, that the misery of the 
wicked shall have no end? The word endless , or 
ivorld without end, is never once used by our 
translators, to express the eternity of punish- 
ment, in the whole Bible. 

We read, in 1 Pet. i. 4. of an inheritance, 
incorrupfi6/e, and undefiled; and that /ac^e^/i not 
azya?/, reserved in heaven:" and in Chap. v. 4. 
of "a crown of glory, that fadeth not away;^'' 
and, Heb. xii. 23 of a kingdom, which cannot 
be moved:" and our blessed Saviour's words 
are remarkably strong upon this subject, in many 
places; as, in St. Luke's gospel. Chap. xx. 35, 
36, where he says, But they who shall be ac- 
counted worthy to obtain that world, and the 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. ei 



(first) resurrection from the dead, neither marry, 
nor are given in marriage; neither can they die 
anymore; for they are equal unto the angels; 
and are the children of God, being the children 
of the resurrection:" and in St. John, x. 27, 28, 
29, we read thus: my sheep hear my voice, 
and I know them, and they follow me: and I 
give unto them eternal life ; and they shall never 
perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my 
hand. My Father, who gave them me, is great- 
er than all; and none is able to pluck them out of 
my Father's hand." In Chap. xi. 25, 26, 
Christ says, I am the resurrection and the life; 
he that believeth in me, though he were dead, 
yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and be- 
lieveth in me, shall never die.'^'' And in chap, 
vi. 50, he says, This is the bread that cometh 
down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, 
and not die." And he expresses the perpetuity 
of the heavenly bliss, and of our enjoyment of 
the same, by advising us, saying, Lay up for 
yourselves treasures in heaven ; where neither 
moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves 
do not break through nor steal. Fear not little 
flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to 
give you the kingdom. Sell that ye have, and 
give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax 
not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth 
not; where no thief approacheth, neither moth 
corrupteth," St. Matth. vi, 20. and St. Luke, xii. 
32, 33. This is that which St. Paul calleth " a 
better and an enduring substance," Heb. xii. 34. 
But what shall I say of the apostle's words, 
2 Cor. iv. 7? 'Tor our light affliction which is 
but for a moment, worketh for us, hath hyperbo- 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



len eis hyperholen aionion baros doxes katergazttai 
€min: a glory exceeding aionion^ or eternal, <o an 
excess y Here is an hyperbole upon hyperbole; 
beyond eternal; a far more exceeding eternal 
weight of glory. 

But it is not so much by the different words 
made use of to denote the permanency of the 
felicity of the righteous, from those which are 
used to express the duration of the misery of 
the wicked, that I judge of the coniinuance of the 
one beyond the other; so much as from the dif- 
ferent sources from whence they flow, and of 
their different natures. 

The happiness of those who are reconciled 
to God arises from their union to Christ; in 
which if they continue grounded and settled 
during this present life,whereinthey pass through 
so many sore trials, the union will become so 
permanent, as that it will be impossible to dis- 
solve it; and the very nature of things shev/s, 
that if we abide firm to the end, through all diffi- 
culties, and overcome all those things that would 
seek to separate us from Christ, when we come 
into that state where we shall meet with no more 
temptations, nor any thing that has the least ten- 
dency to draw our minds from God, we must, of 
consequence, remain attached, or united to him, 
while we have an existence. This doctrine was 
known to David; and therefore, he said, ''While 
I live, will I praise Jehovah; I will sing praises 
unto my God, while I have any being." Psal. 
cxlvi. 2. civ. 33. It may be proved, that the 
union shall continue between Christ and his faith- 
ful ones ailer this life, and shall become indis- 
soluble; and that neither ''tribulation, nor dis- 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION, 



83 



tress, persecution nor famine, nor nakedness^ 
nor peril, nor sword; neither death, nor life, nor 
angeis, nor principalities, nor powers, northings 
present,nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, 
nor any other creature shall be able to separate 
us (w^ho abide in him) from the love of God which 
is in Christ Jesus our Lord." See Rom. viii. 
35-39. See also St. John, xv. 4, o, 7, 9, 10. 
1 John, ii. 24, 28. 

The never ending continuance of the life, or 
state of well being of the righteous, may be 
certainly inferred, with the greatest ease, from 
the continuance of the life of Christ; who is 
made an high priest, ''not after the law of a 
carnal commandment, but after the power of an 
endless life," Heb. vii. 16, And he hath ex- 
pressly declared, '' Because I live, ye shall live 
also," St. John xiv. 19. Thus as long as the 
cause remains, the effect must continue; but the 
cause, even the life of Christ, must undoubtedly 
continue to endless periods; therefore also, the 
effect, or the life of those who are joined to him 
in an indissoluble union, shall continue. The 
apostle Paul understood logic as well as any in 
our days; and he thus reasons upon this glori- 
ous truth; '' The spirit itself beareth witness 
with our spirits, that we (who are led by the 
Spirit of God, and have received the spirit of 
adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father) are 
the children of God: and if children, then heirs; 
heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if so 
be that we suffer with him, that we may be also 
glorified together." Rom. viii. 16, 17. 

Now, as Christ, the principal heir, cannot be 
disinherited; so, neither can those who are joint 
heirs with him. The Holy Spirit is given us as 



84 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



the earnest of our inheritance, and to seal us to 
the day of redemption, 2 Cor. v. 5. Ephes. i, 
13, 14, and iv. 20.— Christ is the head, and the 
overcomers through the blood of the Lamb, are 
the members of his body, and shall inherit all 
things; he will be their God, and they shall be 
his children; he is their life, and he will make 
them pillars in the temple of God, and they shall 
go no more out," Rev. iii. 12. St. Paul says, 
" When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, 
then shall ye also appear with him in glory,'' 
Col. iii. 4.— And St. John says, Behold what 
manner of love theFather hath bestowed upon us, 
that we should be called the sons of God; there- 
fore the world knov/eth us not, because it knew 
him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, 
and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but 
we know, that when he shall appear, we shall be 
like him; for we shall see him as he is," 1 John 
iii. 1,2. Thus, we are sure, from the Scrip- 
tures, and from the nature of things, that those 
Avho are drawn by the Father, united to the Son, 
sealed by the Holy Ghost, willingly choose the 
Lord for their portion, and constantly adhere to 
him to the end, shall never be separated from 
him in the future ages; for he himself saith, ^'As 
the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the 
Father; so he that eateth me, even he shall live 
by me," St. John vi. 57. And as Christ is the 
great attracting loadstone, that shall finally draw 
all things to him; it is evident, that he will pre- 
serve /or ever^ those whom he hath thoroughly 
drawn to himself, and who have adhered to him 
through the time of trial. Thus is the life eter- 
nal of the righteous, or their endless state of 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 



85 



well being, expressed in much stronger language 
than the misery of the wicked; and moreover^ 
has its foundation in the union between Christ 
and his church, and in the nature of things. 

Friend, But if the Spirit of God dwelling in 
us, and thereby causing us to adhere to Christy 
and to follow him through all trials, makes our 
union to him so perfect, that nothing shall be a- 
hie to separate us from him to all eternity; since 
we are confirmed in habits of goodness by free 
choice, and by oft repeated exercises; why, by 
the same rules, shall not the misery of the wick- 
ed be endless, seeing that they have chosen and 
adhered to evil through hfe, and by constant 
practice are confirmed therein? Evil is grown 
up to a body in them; and it appears to me as 
difficult to reform and bring them off from their 
vicious habits, as it would be to draw the saints 
in light from their adherence to virtue and good-- 
ness. 

Minister. Your reasoning would be conclu- 
sive, upon the supposition that there are two eter- 
nal principles, viz. good and evil; if it can be 
proved, that evil is coexistent with goodness^ 
that it hath always been; then, the absolute eter- 
nity of sin and misery may be easily inferred. 
This is the true foundation oi' endless miseivj, and 
it came from the Pagan theology. The Heath- 
ens believed in two efmia/ prmcip/es, ever war- 
ring against each other, and neither fully prevail- 
ing; that men had the liberty of enhsting under 
which they pleased; and that those who in life 
choose virtue should enjoy endless felicity ; while 
those who chose and adhered to vice, would eter- 
nally remain under its dominion^'^and of conse- 
8 



86 



DIALOGUES ON TH£ 



quence be always miserable. Thus, the infer- 
nal deities being judged by the poor Pagans to 
be as eternal as the good gods, and more power- 
ful; they sacrificed more to the evil principle 
than to the good, out of fear, and to appease the 
anger of those abhorred, malevolent agents; 
hence, the frequency of human sacrifices. 

?^ovv, when the Christian Religion triumphed 
over Paganism in the Roman empire, many of 
the philosophers embraced and professed it, but 
withal, retained many of their Pagan notions; 
among which was the eterniiy of t^ese two oppo- 
site principles; hence arose the ancient sect of 
the Manichees, who believe not only the eternal 
existence of tv/o contrary eternal Gods, one 
good and the other evil; but also, that all visible 
things are created by the devil; and upon this 
principle, they might argue the universality of 
damnation, with as much ease and certainty, as 
we, upon the contrary, may argue the certainty 
of the Universal Restoration, according to that 
glorious promise of God, Isaiah Ivii. 16, 17, 18, 
19, ''for 1 will not contend forever, neither will 
I always be wroth; for the Spirit should fail be- 
fore me, and the souls which 1 have made. For 
the iniquity of his coveiousness was I vrroth, and 
smote him: I hid me and w^as wroth; and he 
went on frowardiy, in the way of bis heart, i 
have seen his ways and will heal him: I will 
lead him also, and restore comforts unto him, 
and to his mourners. I create the fruit of the 
lips; peace, peace to him that is far olf, and to 
him that is near, saith Jkkovak; and I will heal 
him." 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION, 



87 



Those who venture to contradict their Maker, 
aad say, that he will contend for ever, and be 
always ivroth; ought to give as good a reason, at 
least, why he will, as he hath given why he will 
not; and, consequently, must prove him not to 
be the Father of all spirits, and the Creator of 
all souls. If, therefore, it can be demonstrated, 
that Satan is an eternal, self-existent, immutable, 
evil being, and that he hath created all, or a part 
of mankind, (as some asserted formerly, and as 
I myself have heard lately) or that he hath drawn 
some of God's creatures into such a union with 
himself, that they cannot be separated from him; 
and that he will maintain his crown, throne and 
kingdom, in opposition to God, to all endless du- 
ration; then, and not till then, may the eternity 
Oi sin and misery, be concluded from the nature 
of things, with equal ease and certainiy, as th© 
perfection and happiness of the saints. 

But if the kingdom of evil, and all the works 
of sin, Satan and darkness, shall be totally des- 
troyed by Christ, and all things shall be reheaded 
in him, who is the head of all principality and 
power, as well as of every man: See Ephes. i. 10. 
Col ii. 10. 1 Cor. xi. 3. If every knee shall bow, 
k. tongue shall swear, and ail things, whether in 
heaven or in earth, or under the earth, shall con- 
fess that he is Lord; and all things whether in 
heaven or in earth, shall be reconciled to him. 
See Isaiah xlv. 23. Phil. ii. 10. Col. i. 20. 
And all kingdoms (not excepting that of the 
prince of the power of the air) shall be broken 
and destroyed by the kingdom of Christ, which 
shall itself be yielded up into the kingdom of 
boundless love, where judgment shall be no 



88 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



more. What shall we saj of that doctrine^ that 
teaches us the endless duration of evill So far 
is the endless sin and misery of the wicked from 
being inferred from the endless holiness and fe- 
licity of the righteous, in the kingdom of the 
Father, that every proof and demonstration of 
the latter, concludes equally against the for- 
mer. 

One of the first arguments that ever began to 
take hold of my mind, and to bring me to think 
seriously of the system of the Restoration, was, 
what I read in a little book upon the subject, 
called The Everlasting Gospel, Sec. and is there 
thus expressed. 

^' It is as impossible that there should be two 
endless contrary things, as that there should be 
two real contrary Deities, a good God and a bad 
one, or two sorts of contrary creatures, both of 
truly divine original, some being made good by 
God, and others bad. For an absolute and 
merely infinite duration, which has neither be- 
ginning nor end, is, according to the confessions 
of all divines, yea, of every reasonable man, a 
property peculiar to the uncreated Being only. 
But such an infinite duration, which, although 
it has a beginning, yet shall have no end, can 
only be the property of those creatures that are 
of divine original. For as these, according to 
the language of the scripture, are of divine or- 
igin, and therefore are rooted in God, or in his 
almighty creating pewer, which has no begin- 
ning, they can also be everlasting, their exist- 
ence or duration can also be without end ia 
God. But whatsoever has not its eternal root 
in God, or in his eternal creating po>^er, but is 




UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 89 



sprung up in the creature in this world, by its vol- 
untary turning away from God^^ against his holy 
will, and consequently is an admonition and dis- 
pleasure to the Most High, and is only suffered 
by him, such as sin, and the punishment depend- 
ing thereon, these things cannot possibly be of 
an absolute endless existence and duration, or 
remain so long as God shall exist; but must of 
necessity once cease and be annihilated. For 
as God is a Being to those creatures which he 
created good, and which exists through his wiil, 
wherein they may subsist and be preserved with- 
out end; so he on the contrary, to iniquity and 
sin, (which against his will, is sprung up in and 
sticks to the creatures) is a consuming fire, 
whereby all sin and perverseness in the creatures 
must be at last consumed, annihilated, andseoa- 
rated from them in the highest degree, in order to 
restore them to their primitive purity; in the 
same manner as the fire doth not consume and 
destroy the gold, but only the dross, and that 
which is impure.'' 

We will now state some of the arguments in 
favor of the endless continuance of the happiness 
of the saints, in the kingdom of their Father: and 
those which prove that the state of misery shall 
come to an end. 

Christ hath promised, that the happiness of the 
saints shall have no end; because his life shall 
have no end, and he is their life. 

The misery of the wicked shall end, because 
the kingdom of evil shall end. 

The power of God stands engaged to pre- 
serve and keep those who commit themselves to 
8* 



90 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



him; and thus, their union with him shall always 
continue. 

The same is engaged to destroy that coven- 
ant with deathj and the agreement with hell, 
whereby sinners are held in subjection to Sa- 
tan, and thus to take the prey from the mighty, 
and the captives from the terrible. 

The subjects of Christ are his natural sub- 
jects; he is their rightful sovereign: but Satan's 
subjects are slaves led captive by him at his 
will; he is an usurper, and ail that are in bondage 
to him belong to Christ, who will finally draw 
them all to himself. 

Those that are in bliss shall be eternally at- 
tracted by him, and shall always choose that 
which is good; but vvhen evil is broken, its in- 
fluence shall no more prevail over those that 
are captivated by it; and they shall feel the conse- 
quences of sin in such a manner as to loathe it; 
and they shall heartily return, and swear alleg- 
iance to their rightful King. 

There shall be no influence to draw the saints 
in bliss from Christ, and thereby dissolve his 
kingdom; but all the influence of God and good- 
ness, shall tend to dissolve the kingdom of dark- 
ness, and to put an end to the thraldom and mis- 
ery of its unhappy slaves. 

Thus, I might. go on with a long train of ar- 
guments upon this subject; but these may suf- 
fice. 

Friend, Your arguments would seem very 
conclusive, for the entire subjection of all things, 
if you could prove that the word all, intends 
literally and mathematically, the whole, without 
exception; but this I doubt, will be difficult for 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 91 

you to do, as you must know that it is very fre- 
quently used in common language for a part; and 
sometimes for only a small part of mankind. 

Minister. I acknowledge this is the case in 
common conversation, and in such parts of the 
sacred history where we are in no danger of be- 
ing misled by it, being well informed by the con- 
text, or some other passages, or from the nature^ 
or from the circumstances of the facts, that we 
must take it in a limited sense; but I do not rec- 
ollect any passage, where any point of doctrine 
is spoken of,in which the word all is used in that 
uncertain and undeterminate manner; and it is 
necessary that it should not be used in that way, 
in matters of importance; because we might be 
led into confusion and great uncertainty thereby; 
not knowing whether to understand it universal- 
ly, or partially. — Wherefore I lay down this 
plain rule, viz. when the word all is used in 
any passage of Scripture, and we are not neces- 
sarily obliged, either by the context or some oth- 
er text, or the nature and circumstances of the 
€ase, to understand it ^'tially; and especially 
where any important poSfet^f doctrine is spoken 
of, we are always to understand it universally, 
without exception. 

Friend. But can you prove from the writings 
of the apostles, that they used the word all in 
this large and universal sense } 

Minister. Yes, my friend, very easily, and in 
the most unexceptionable manner. Hear what 
the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews says 
upon this matter: Thou hast put all thhigs in 
subjection under his feet; for in that he put all 



92 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



in subjection under him; he left nothing that is 
not put under him." Heb. ii. 8. 

It is evident, that the apostle's reasoning would 
be very inaccurate, if not entirely false, upon the 
supposition that all things did not intend all, 
in the largest sense; for how would this conclu- 
sion naturally and necessarily follow, " For in 
that he put ALL in subjection under him, he left 
nothing that is not put under him;" unless it be 
premised, that all is used in the universal sense 
of the word. 

Friend. But hath not the same apostle made 
an exception, w4ien he used the Vvord all, in 
some other of his writings? 

Minister. Yes, truly; but it is such an ex- 
ception as justifies this sense of the word, more 
than a thousand arguments: For he hath put 
things under his feet; but when he saith^ 
ALL things are put under him, it is manifest, that 
he is excepted which did put all things under 
him.'^^ 1 Cor. xv. 27. Here God the Father 
being alone excepted, proves all other beings to 
be included in the words all ihings; and that in 
so convincing a manner, that I am astonished 
that I did not perceive it long before I did. 

Friend. It is true, that nothing can be plain- 
er, than that all ihings in these places, must 
mean ALL beings except God; but then, per- 
haps, St. Paul only meant, that they should be 
subject to his control, and not brought willing- 
ly to obey. If you can prove this point as clear- 
ly as you have the other, and from the same au- 
thority, it will seem to put the matter with me 
beyond dispute. 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 



93 



Minisier. This is very easily done; for it is 
universally acknowledged by all Christians, that 
all things are now, and have ever been subject 
to his control; for when he was upon earth, in 
his lowest state of humiliation, even the unclean 
spirits, the most rebellious of beings obeyed his 
word; which made those who saw his miracles 
cry with amazement, ''What thing is thisr 
What new doctrine is this? For vrith authority 
commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and 
they obey him," St. Mark, i. 27. The devils 
obeyed him universally in whatever he comand- 
ed them; and could not enter into the swine 
without his permission; and how disagreeable 
soever his words were to them, they were ybrc^d 
to comlpy, without daring to complain; yea, they 
frequently seemed like humble supphants; and 
once we read, they went so far as to adjure 
our blessed Lord not to torment them: See St. 
Mark, v. 7. The winds, waves, fishes, all obey 
him; all diseases, and even death itself, heard 
his voice, and departed at his bidding; and to 
his disciples he said, " Ail power is given unto 
me, in heaven and in earth," Matth. xxviii. 18. 
And certainly now, he is at '' the right hand of 
God, angels, and authorities, and powers, are 
made subject unto him," 1 Pet. iii. 22.— God 
hath exalted him far above all principality, and 
power, and might, and dominion; and every 
name that is named; not only in this age (for so 
I render the word aioiii) but also in that which 
is to come; and put all things under his feet, and 
gave him to be the head over all things to the 
church," Ephes. i. 21, 22. But as though the 
apostle had known that the sense would be dis- 



94 



DIALOGUES ON THS 



puted, he hath said, But now we see not yet all 
things 2? lit under him Heb. ii. 8. All tiiinga 
were subject to his control, even on earth; and 
they cannot be less so, now he is exalted to 
heaven, to the glory vvhich he had with the Fath- 
er before the world was; and yet many years 
after his ascension, the apostle says, ^'But*^ now 
vve see not t/e^ all things put under him;" by 
which he m.ust certainly mean their bemg loilU 
ingly siibjed nrdo him-, for, in ail other senses, 
all things are 72016' put under him, in the most 
unlimited manner, as we have seen already. 
But the apostle goes on to tell how far the im- 
portant work is accomplished, and that a sure 
foundation is laid for its entire completion; say- 
ing, " But we see Jesus, who was made a little 
lower than the angels, for the suffering of death, 
crowned with glory and honor, that he, by the 
grace of God, should taste death for all;" (for 
60 the word pantos ought to he rendered.) There 
vv'as anciently a manuscript in use, in Vv'hich the 
%vords were ckoris Theou instead of chariti Theou^ 
that is, for all except God. And there is a lit- 
tle doubt of its being the true sense; because 
St. Paul makes the same exception, with re- 
spect to those who are put under Christ, as we 
have before noted, 1 Cor. xv. 27. 

Then the apostle adds, " For it became him, 
for whom are all things ^ and by whom are all 
things^ in bringing many sons unto glory, to 
make the Captain of their salvation perfect 
through sufferings." Heb. ii. 9. 10. 

Instead of the v/ord all intending only a paH^ 
we find in several places, that the word marty in- 
tends a//, as in Rom. v. 1.5, 1G, 19. ''For if 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 



95 



through the offence of one^ tnant/ be dead , much 
more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, 
which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abound- 
ed unto want/. The^ free gift is of many offences 
unto justification. For, as by one man's diso- 
bedience many were rrlade sinners; so, by the 
obedience of one, shall many be made right- 
eous." Isaiah liii. 11, 12. ''By his knowl- 
edge shall my righteous servant justify many 
(or the many) for he shall bear their iniquities. 
And he bare the sins of many and made inter- 
cession for the transgressors." These many 
are called all, in the 6th verse. "All we, like 
sheep have gone astray; we have turned every 
one to his own v/ay; and Jehovah hath laid on 
him the iniquity of us a//." 

But to return to our subject: St. Paul assures 
us, that though all iJiings^ without exception, are 
put under him, in one sense, yet, in another, he 
says, " But novv^ we see not yet all things put 
under him." But he leaves us not in the dark 
about the matter; but speaks of that effectual 
'' working, whereby he is able even to subdue 
all things unto himself," Phil. iii. 21. And 
w^hen all things shall be subdued unto himself, 
then shall the Son also himself be subject unto 
him that put all things under him, that God may 
be ALL IS ALL." 1 Cor. xvi. 28. Here we 
plainly find, a very necessary distinction between 
all things being put under him; and all things 
being subdued unto him, the former is already 
done in the fullest manner; and the latter shall 
be as perfectly and fully accomplished in due 
time: Because the creation itself shall be de- 
livered from the 'bondage of corruption, into the 



96 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



glorious liberty of the children of God. For 
we know that the whole creation groaneth and 
travaileth in pain together, until now," Rom, 
viii. 21. 22. 

Though what hath already been spoken, may 
seem more than enough to prove the point res- 
pecting the word all; yet there is one passage 
more, full to the purpose, that I would not omit; 
it being of itself, fully sulFicient to settle the dis- 
pute forever: — The apostle, speaking of Christ 
saith, " Who is the image of the invisible God. 
the firstborn of every creature; for by him were 
all things created that are in heaven, and that 
are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they 
be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or 
powers; all things were created by him, and for 
him; and he is before all things^ and by him all 
things consist. And he is the head ol the body, 
the church; who is the beginning, the firstborn 
from the dead; that in all things he might have 
the pre-eminence. — For it pleased the Father, 
that in him should all fulness dwell; and having 
made peace through the blood of his cross, by 
him, to reconcile all ihmgs unto himself ; by 
him, I say whether they be things in earth, or 
things in heaven." Col. i. 15, 20. 

As the word all is generally acknowledged to 
be used in its most extensive sense, in every 
place in this paragraph, except the last, there is 
no reason to be given why the apostle should 
change the sense of the word, without giving us 
the least notice of it; and, indeed, it would be 
very unkind, if not unfair, for him thus to do; as 
it would tend to mislead us in a matter of very 
great importance. 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION, 97 

Friend. 1 hope I am not so attached to my 
own opinions as to be unwiUing to hear and con- 
sider what may be advanced against them; but 
the doctrine of endless damnation has been so 
generally considered as a most important article 
of faith by all denominations, that I can by no 
means think of giving it up^ unless you are able 
to establish the contrary system upon the most 
solid ground^ and answer all the scriptural objec- 
tions fairly, that have been, or that can be 
brought against it; for I must have all my doubts 
solved, before I can think of believing such a 
strange doctrine as this appears to me. 

Minister. I most heartily commend your pru- 
dence and sincerity. I took the same resolu- 
tion; and would never receive this view, till I 
could answer all objections to my own satisfac- 
tion ; and if you are disposed to inquire farther at 
another opportunity, I shall be happy in giving 
you all the assistance in my power. 

END OF THE FIRST DIALOGUeII* 



9 



DIALOGUE II. 



Friend. Good day to you, Sir, I was just 
passing by, and if you have a little time to spare, 
I should be happy to have some further dis- 
course with you, respecting your sentiments; for 
although I cannot fall in with your views, yet I 
am convinced, that your mind is upright in the 
matter, and that you do not disagree with your 
br*ethren for the sake of differing, but for what 
you believe to be truth. 

Minister. I have this to say, (and I can with 
truth declare it) that I never should have dis- 
sented from my brethren, had they only given 
me the liberty of enjoying that natural right of 
freely thinking for myself in matters of religion. 
I sincerely wish to live and di- in unity with all 
that love Grod and keep bis commandments; and 
I should never have troubled the world with my 
sentiments, had not great pains been taken to' 
represent me as a heretic, and my sentiments 
dangerous to mankind: this v.'as done to prevent 
people from hearing what I had to say in other 
matters. — I was therefore, in a sort, compelled 
to sit down and answer all the objections that 
were brought against the truth I believed; which 
answers drawn (as I trust) fairly from the Scrip- 
tures, have satisfied many who have read what I 
then wrote upon the subject. 

Friend. I never saw your answers to objec- 
tions in print; but in our last conversation, you 
gave such answers to many questions, as seem- 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 



99 



ed to convince me that much more might be 
said in favor of the general Restoration than I 
formerly imagined: but I have a number of ob- 
jections remaining, which appear to me unan- 
swerable; and which I beg leave to state in the 
plainest manner. 

Minister. Do, my dear friend ;^you will give 
me pleasure by being free and open upon this 
subject; propose all your objections in the 
strongest manner possible, and I will give you 
such answers as have satisfied me in the matter; 
and I beg leave to assure you, that no light, trif- 
ling, or forced answer, far less a maniiest (wa- 
sion, would satisfy my mind upon this awful and 
interesting subject; and if what I believe is not 
capable of a scriptural defence, I shall endeavor 
to quit the ground as speedily as possible. 

Friend. The words of our Saviour, recorded 
by St. Mark, ix. 43 — 49, form a very serious, 
and to mo an unanswerable objection against the 
Universal Restoration. 

^'And if thy hand offend thee (or cause thee 
to offend) cut it off ; it is better for thee to enter 
into life maimed, than having two hands, to go 
into hell; into the fire that never shall be quench- 
ed (or that is unquenchable;) where their worm 
dieth not and the fire is not quenched. And if 
thy foot offend thee (or cause thee to offend) cut 
it off; it is better for thee to enter halt into life, 
than having two feet to be cast into hell, into 
the fire that never shall be quenched (or that is 
unquenchable); where their worm dieth not, and 
the fire is not quenched. And if thine eye of- 
fend thee, (or cause thee to offend) pluck it out; 
it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of 



100 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



God with one eye, than having two eyes to be 
cast into hell fire; where their worm dieth not, 
and the fire is not quenched. For every one 
shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall 
be salted with salt." 

Here our Lord repeats five times, that ''the 
fire is not, or ^ever shall be quenched, or is un- 
quenchable;" words of near similar meaning: 
three times he speaks of hell, as a p/ace where 
'Hheir worm dieth not;" and, to show the propri- 
ety of the sufferings of the miserable, he says, 
''For every one shall be salted with fire;" i. e. 
preserved by the fire, as salt preserves meat. 
These are the objections from this passage, brief- 
ly stated: are you able to answer them fairly, 
without any evasion, from the authority of scrip- 
ture. 

Minister. This is certainly a most terrible 
passage, and deserves to be considered particu- 
larly. 

There is no doubt but Jesus Christ had his 
eye upon that passage in Isaiah Ixvi. 24. — "And 
they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases 
of the men that have transgressed against me ; 
for their worm shall not die, neither shall their 
fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhor- 
ring unto all flesh." 

It will be of use to us to understand when 
this prophecy shall be fulfilled: It shall be when 
the children af Israel shall return, and be set- 
tled in their own land; and their enemies shall 
come against them, and shall be destroyed, and^ 
their carcases shall fall upon the mountains of 
Israel, and shall be a prey to the fowls of heav- 
en, and their flesh shall be devoured by worms, 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 101 



which shall not die, till they have eaten and en- 
tirely destroyed their bodies. 

"Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, 
thou and all thy bands, and the people that is 
with thee; I will give thee to the ravenous birds 
of every sort, and to the beasts of the field, to 
be devoured. Thou shalt fall upon the open 
field; for I have spoken it, saith Adonia Jeho- 
vah. And it shall come to pass in that day, 
that I will give unto Gog a place there of 
graves in Israel, the valley of the passengers 
on the east of the sea; and it shall stop the nos- 
es of the passengers; and there shall they bury 
Gog, ar^d all his multitude, and they shall call it, 
the valley of Hammon Gog. And seven 
months shall the House of Israel be burying of 
them, that they may cleanse the land." — (See 
Ezelc xxxix. 4, 5, 11, 12.) ^^And it shall come 
to pass, that every one that is left of all the na- 
tions which came against Jerusalem, shall even 
go up, from year to year, to worship the King, 
Jehovah, of Hosts and to keep the feasts of 
tabernacles." Zech xiv. 16. '^Arid it shall 
come to pass, that from one new moon to anoth- 
er and from one sabbath to another, shall all 
flesh come to worship before me, saith Jehovah." 
Isaiah, Ixvi. 21. And they that shall come up 
to Jerusalem, to worship the Lord, during the 
time that these bodies shall lie in the open field, 
shall go forth, and behold them in a state of pu- 
trefaction, a prey to worms; and all the nations 
of the earth shall see God's judgements execu- 
ted upon those who dare rebel against him, by 
making war against the Lamb, and against his 
army. — Rev. xvii. 14. xix. 19. 

9* 




102 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



It is also intimated by Ezekiel, that a fire 
shall be kindled, to burn their weapons of war, 
&c. which shall last for some time. Hear his 
words: ''And they that dwell in the cities of Is- 
rael shall go forth, and shall set on fire and burn 
the weapons, both the shields and the bucklers, 
the bows and the arrows, and the handstaves 
and the spears; and they shall burn them wdth 
fire seven years; so that they shall take no wood 
out of the field, neither cut down any out of the 
forests; for they shall burn the weapons with fire." 
See Ezek. xxxix. 9, 10. 

Thus have I endeavored to give the plain 
sense of the text to which our Lord alluded; 
and I have not the smallest doubt of its being 
hereafter literally fulfilled. 

I will now endeavor to give what appears to 
me the meaning of the text before us: — Christ 
threatened that those who would not deny 
themselves, and cut off those things that led 
them into sin, should hereafter suffer infin- 
itely greater inconveniences, by being cast 
into hell fire. And, oh! who can conceive how 
dreadful a portion is threatened to some trans- 
gressors! that they ''shall drink of the wine of 
the wrath of God, which is poured out without 
mixture, into the cup of his indignation! and 
shall be tormented with fire and brimstone, in 
the presence of the holy angels, and in the pres- 
ence of the Lamb: — And the smoke of their 
torment ascendeth up ages of ages; and they 
have no rest day nor night." Rev. xiv. 10. 
11. 

Thus, as the enemies of God, who shall be de- 
stroyed near Jerusalem, shall have their car- 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION^ 103 



€ases exposed, full of worms, and be an abhor- 
ring unto all that behold them; so those who 
are cast into the burning lake, shall be publicly 
exposed to shamCjand shall suffer openly for their 
crimes; and the smoke of their torment shall as- 
cend up continually y during those ages that the 
lake of firCj or the second death, shall con- 
tinue. 

But when I consider that this terraqueous 
globe itself is probably to become the lake of fire, 
when the elements shall melt with fervent heat; 
and yet after that dreadful scene is past, the 
earth itself shall be renewed, and become the 
habitation of righteousness; I can hardly have 
any doubts, but all the rational part of the cre- 
ation, " shall be delivered from the bondage of 
corruption, into the glorious liberty of the chil- 
dren of God." See Rom. viii. 19, 20, 21, 22. 

Thus, if the lake of fire, or second death it- 
self, shall be destroyed, shall cease, and be no 
more; — ^there is an end to tormenting pain; 
though, perhaps, such inimrd reflections^ shall 
continue for some time longer, (if not to eterni- 
ty) v/hich, though they shall tend exceedingly 
to increase the love of God in the souls thus 
delivered, shall fill them with shame similar, or 
perhaps more pungent than we feel here on earth, 
when we are melted under a deep sense of our 
manifold transgressions, and of the pardoning 
love of God at the same time. This seems 
to me to be the meaning of such passages as 
these: 

O my God, make them like a wheel; as the 
stubble before the wind. As the fire burneth 
the wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains 



104 



DIALOGUES ON THE. 



on fire; so persecute them with thy tempest, and 
make them afraid with thy storm. Fill their 
faces with shame, that they may seek thy name, 
O Jehovah. Let them be confounded and 
troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, 
and perish: that — (our translators have added 
the word men, but the sense determines that the 
addition should be) — " they may know that thou 
whose name alone is Jehovah, art the Most 
High over all the earth. Psal. Ixxxiii. 13, 18. 

^' The wise shall inherit glory, but shame shall 
be the promotion of fools." Prov. iii. 35. 

^^They shall be greatly ashamed, for they shall 
not prosper; their everlasting confusion shall 
never be forgotten." Jer. xx. 11. xxxiii. 40. 

^'They shall be ashamed, and also confound- 
ed, all of them; they shall go to confusion to- 
gether, that are makers of idols." Isa. xlv. 16. 
" And all that are incensed against him, (Jeho- 
tah) shall be ashamed." — verse 24. 

"For thus saith the Adonia Jehovah; I will 
even deal with thee as thou hast done, which 
hast despised the oath in breaking the coven- 
ant. Nevertheless, I v/ill remember my coven- 
ant with thee in the days of thy youth, and I 
will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant. 
Then thou shalt remember thy ways, and be a- 
shamed, when thou shalt receive thy sisters^thine 
elder and thy younger {viz. Samaria and Sod- 
om) ; — 8c I will give them unto thee for daughters, 
but not by the covenant. And I will establish my 
covenant with thee, and thou shall know that I 
am Jehovah: That thou mayest remember, 
and be confounded, and never open thy mouth 
any more, because of thy shame, when I am pa- 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 105 

eified towards thee, for all that thou hast done^ 
saith Adonia Jehovah." Ezek. xvi. 59 — 63. 

''Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, 
and your doings that were not good^ and shall 
loathe yourselves in your own sight, for your in- 
iquities, and for your abominations. Not for 
your sakes do I this, saith Adonia Jehovah, be 
it known unto you; be ashamed and confounded, 
O house of Israel." — Ezek. xxxvi. 31, 32. 

But the lake of fire shall go out, when all the 
purposes for which it shall be kindled are ac- 
complished; and if so, then it follows of course, 
that intelligences shall be no longer tormented 
therein. 

Friend. But when God says; that a fire shall 
not be quenched, does it not necessarily imply, 
that it shall never cease burning? 

Minister. 'By no means; for we read in sev- 
eral places of Scripture of fires that have ceas- 
ed, ages ago, that were spoken of in as strong 
terms as are used by Christ, respecting the fire 
of hell. 

As for instance: in Lev. vi. 13, we read. 
The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; 
it shall never go out." This is a much stronger 
expression than if it had been said, " It shall not 
be quenched;" for it is said, It shall never go 
oiff." But surely, it must be used with some 
limitation; for we know that it hath ceased ages 
ago. And we read, that Daniel prophesied of 
the Messiah, that he should cause the sacri- 
fice and oblation to cease." Dan. ix. 27; but it 
would certainly have been a weak argument 
against Daniel's prophecy, that as Moses had 
said, the fire should never go out upon the altar, 



106 



DIALOGUES 0:s THE 



therefore tlie Messiah could never cause the 
sacrifice and oblation to cease; but it would be 
just as good an argument against Daniel's proph- 
ecy, as the words of Christ are against Isaiah's: 
For I will not contend forever, neither will I 
be always wroth; for the spirit should fail before 
me, and the souls which I have made. I have 
sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my 
mouth in righteousness, and shall not return. 
That unto me every knee shall bow, every 
tongue shall swear. — Surely shall say, in Jeho- 
vah have I righteousness and strength; to him 
shall men come; and all that arc incensed against 
him shall be ashamed." Isaiah Ivii. 16. xlv. 23, 
24. 

In Jer. xvii. 27, we read: ^^Eut if you will 
not hearken unto me, &c. then Vvill I kindle a 
fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the 
palaces of Jerusalem, and shall noi he quench- 
edy See also chap. iv. 4. xxi. 12. Amos v. 6. 2 
Kings xxii. 17. 

Similar threatenings w^e find positively pro- 
nounced by Ezekiel, at the command of God. 
Moreover the word of Jehovah came unto me 
saying. Son of man, set thy face towards the 
south, and drop thy words towards the south, and 
prophesy against the forest of the south field, 
and say to the forest of the south, hear the w ord 
of Jehovah; thus saith Adonia Jehovah, be- 
hold I will kindle a lire in thee, and it shall de- 
vour every green 1;ree in thee, and every dry 
tree; the flaming flame shall not be quenched, 
and all faces from the south to the north, shall 
be burnt therein; and all flesh shall see that I 
Jehovah have kindled it; it shall not he quench- 



U>UVERSAL RESTORATION. 107 

et^/' Ezek. XX. 42, 4G, 47, 48.— See also Jer, 
vii. '20. 

Now these threatenings were surely executed; 
for the people did not hearken to God; he did 
certainly kindle a fire, and it burnt, and was not 
quenched, but consumed Jeriisaiem and all her 
palaces; and the beautiful forests that were so 
much esteemed, shared the same fate. But 
what person will argue, that the whole city and 
country must be now in flames; and must have 
been consuming, from the days of Jer. and Eze- 
kiel, because of these expressions, The flam- 
ing flames shall not be quenched," &c. since we 
know that Jerusalem, and the country round 
about, have been since inhabited, and will be a- 
gain in a more glorious manner than ever ? 

Neither will it help the matter to say, that we 
must understand the fire figuraiivelifj for the an- 
gel of God, &c. for he declares by Zechariah, 
after the seventy years captivity, that he was 
^ ^returned to Jerusalem ivilh mercies.'^^ See 
Zech. i. 16. And though the present desolation 
of that land is compared to the overthrow of 
Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboim. 
Deut. xxix. 23, 23. And Ezekiel not only 
speaks of it as desolate and v/aste, but as hav- 
ing been always so; though v/e knov/ that it v/as 
formerly filled with inhabitants: (See Ezek. 
xxxvi. 34, 35. xxxviii. 8.) — Yet all the Prophets 
speak of a time to come, when it shall be much 
more flourishing than it hath ever been: and 
Isaiah says, Whereas thou hast been forsaken 
and hated, so that no man went through thee; I 
will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of 
many generations. Thou shalt no more be 



108 



DIALOGUES 0:s THE 



termed forsaken; neither shall thy land be term- 
ed desolate; but thou shalt be called Hephzi- 
bah {my delight is in her) and thy land Bulah 
{mamed) for Jehovah delighteth in thee, and 
thy land shall be married." Isaiah Ix. 15. Ixii. 4, 
Thus we may see, by these and many other 
passages that predictions apparently directly con- 
trary the one to the other, may be all fulfilled up- 
on the same land, people and persons, only allovv- 
ing a proper time to each, without which we can 
never make sense of many prophecies. 

Isaiah, speaking of the land of Bozrah, says, 
And the streams thereof shall be turned into 
pitch and the dust thereof into brimstone; and 
the land thereof shall become burning pitch. 
It shall not be quenched, night nor day; the 
Fmoke thereof shall go up for ever; from 
generation to generation it shall lie waste; 
none shall pass through it, for ever and ever. 
But the cormorant and the bittern shall possess 
it; the owl also and the raven, shall dwell in it;'' 
(birds that cannot live in fire, pitch, and brim- 
stone, any better than men.) "And thorns shall 
come up in her palaces, nettles and brambles in 
the fortresses thereof; and is shall be an habita- 
tion for dragons, and a court for owls. The wild 
beasts of the desert shall also meet with the wild 
beasts of the island, and the satyr shall cry to 
his fellow; the screech owl also shall rest 
there, and find for herself a place of rest. — 
There shall the great owl make her nest, and 
lay and hatch, and gather under her shadow; 
there shall the vultures also be gathered, every 
one with his mate. — Seek ye out of the book of 
Jehovah, and read; no one of these shall fail, 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 109 



none shall want her mate; for my mouth it hath 
commanded, and his Spirit it hath gathered 
them. And he hath cast the lot for them, and 
his hand hath divided it unto them by line; they 
shall possess it forever, from generation to gen- 
eration shall they dwell therein." Isaiah, xxxiv. 
9, jO^ 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. 

Now, in this passage, there are such things 
spoken of as are impossible to be fulfilled at 
once, without as great a miracle as was wrought 
for the three children in the furnace; and which 
there is no reason to expect will be wrought in 
favor of cormorants, bitterns, owls, ravens, drag- 
ons, satyrs, Vi^ild beasts, thorns, nettles and bram- 
bles. In the iOth verse we read of a period 
called for ever, v/herein this land is to be on fire 
and is not to be quenched, night nor day; and 
the smoke of it is to ascend up for ever; but in 
the 17th verse it is said, that the before mention- 
ed birds and beasts shall possess it for ever, even 
from generation to generation shall they dwell 
therein. But one of these periods must end, 
before the other can begin; the fire must cease 
to burn, and the smoke to ascend, before beasts 
can take up their constant dwelling there, and 
birds can lay and hatch, and gather their young 
ones under their shadow, and enjoy the society 
of their mates. And thus the whole prophecy 
may be fulfilled; not in the samSy but in different 
periods: and thus also, may all the threatenings^ 
and all the promises, in the sacred book be ac- 
complished; not at once, but each in their sea- 
son. 

It appears evident, that our Lord, by allud- 
ing to a fire that shall burn on earth, and to 
10 



110 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



worms that shall devour the flesh of the slain^ 
could not mean to prove the torments of men to 
be absolutely endless; at least, the expressions of 
the ivorm that dieth not^ and the fire that is not 
quenchedy do not necessarily imply it; which has 
been sufficioiitly proved, by the passages where 
the same or similar expressions are used, where 
yet the subject cannot intend endless duration; 
and this is all that can be necessary to prove at 
present. 

As to the expression of being salted with fire^ 
as every sacrifice was salted with salt; I ani not so 
clear, what might have been our Saviour's intent 
in this expression; but I think, in the first place, 
he intended to teach us, that they should not be 
annihilated by the fire, but preserved therein, to 
be tormented day and night, in the presence of 
the holy angels, and in the presence of the 
Lamb, during the ages of ages. I vvould also 
propose, whether our Lord did not mean to inti- 
mate, that even the fire itself shall be of use 
under his direction, to humble, subdue a^d pen- 
etrate the stubborn and disobedient rebels, that 
shall be cast into it, jPire, as well as saltf is a 
great purifier ; and preserves and cleanses those 
things which are able to endure it ; and is the 
great agent by which all metals a,re separated 
from their dross, and prepared for the use for 
which they were designed. Under the law, all 
unclean things, that could endure the fire, were 
ordered to be cast into it, in order to their 
cleansing. 

Friend. What you have said concerning the 
fires that are represented as unquenchable, in 
several passages of Scripture, is worthy of at- 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. j 1 1 

tention; but you should consider, that these fires 
were all on earth, and in time, and therefore 
must have an end, or cease to burn; but the fire 
of hell is in eternity, and therefore must last as 
long as eternity shall endure. Pray, what can 
you say to this? 

Minister. Had those unquenchable fires nevef 
gone out while earth endured, or v/hile time last- 
ed, there might have been some force in this ar- 
gument; but since the continuance of the fire 
does not depend upon the season in which it is 
kindled, but upon the combustibles that feed and 
support it, this can be no objection: therefore, 
since those unquenchable fires that have been 
mentioned, were kindled on earth, and yet not 
burn while earth lasted, but have gone out long 
ago; there is no necessity of granting (even 
tho^ we should admit your premises of the fire 
of hell being kindled in eternity) that the un- 
quenchable fire of the burning lake must una- 
voidably burn to all eternity merely because it is 
supposed to belong to that state: but if punish- 
ments only belong to those ages of ages before 
Christ shall resign the kingom to the Father^ 
and the lake of fire shall be this terraqueous 
globe, dissolved, or melted, with fervent heat; 
then the ground is changed, and the whole ob- 
jection vanishes of course. 

Friend. As you have come ever this objec- 
tion better than I expected you could, I shall 
leave it for the present, and consider more fully, 
when I am by myself, what you have said upon 
this subject; and shall now propose the greatest 
objection that can be brought against the Res- 
toration of all men, from the Scriptures; and 



112 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



which, if you can fairly ansv/er, 1 shall be al- 
most persuaded to believe with you; but I am 
persuaded that you will be hard put to it. 

Minister, Produce your cause, aud bring 
forth your strong reasons, that we may hear 
them; and if I am silenced, I will not be ashamed 
to acknowdedge it with all my heart. 

Friend. I shall bring my objection from the 
Scriptures, and state it with the utmost precis- 
ion that I am able: It is the sin against the 
Holy Ghost, of which our Saviour speaks in 
the most awful manner; saying, Wherefore I 
say unto you, all manner of sin and blasphemy 
shall be forgiven unto men; but the blas- 
phemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be for- 
given unto men. And whosoever speaketh a 
word against the Son of man, it shall (or may) 
be forgiven him; — but whosoever speaketh a- 
gainst the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven 
him, neither in this world (or age) neither in the 
world (or age) to come. Verily, I say unto you, 
all sins shall (or may) be forgiven unto the sons 
of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they 
shall blaspheme; but he that shall blaspheme a- 
gainst the Holy Ghost, hath never forgiveness, 
(or hath not forgiveness to the age) but is in 
danger of eternal damnation." St. Matth. xii. 
31, 32. St. Mark, iii. 28, 29. This is such a 
matter of importance, that three of the evangel- 
ists notice it. St. Luke hath it thus: "And 
whosoever shall speak a wwd against the Son of 
man, it shall (or may) be forgiven him; — but un- 
to him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost 
it shall not be forgiven." St. Luke, xii. 10. St. 
Matthew saith, this sin shall not be forgiven in 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 113 

this wofldj nor in that to come; St. Mark, that 
such an one hath never forgiveness, but is in 
danger of eternal damnation; and St. Luke pos- 
itively saith, it shall not be forgiven: and to 
confirm the matter still more, if possible, St. 
Paul saith, ^' For it is impossible for those who 
were once enlightened, and have tasted the 
heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the 
Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of 
God, and the powers of the world to come ; if 
they shall fall away, (or, and have fallen away) 
to renew them again to repentance; seeing they 
crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, 
and put him to an open shame. For if we sin 
wilfully, after that we have received the knowl-- 
edge of the truth, there remaineth no more sac- 
rifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of 
judgement, and fiery indignation, which shall 
devour the adversaries. He that despised Mo- 
ses's law, died without mercy, by the mouth of 
two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer 
punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought 
worthy who hath trodden under foot the Son of 
God, and hath counted the blood of the coven- 
ant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy 
thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of 
grace?" Heb. vi. 4, 5, 6. x. 26, 27, 28, 29. 
And the same Apostle directs us, saying; '^Look- 
ing diligently, lest any man fail of the grace of 
God; lest any root of bitterness springing up 
trouble you, and thereby many be defiled: lest 
there be any fornicator, or profane persons, as 
Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birth- 
right. For ye know how that afterwards, wh-en 
he would have inherited the blessing, he was re- 
10* 



114 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



jected; for he found no place of repentance, 
though he sought it with tears." Hebrews xii. 
15,16, IT. 

And St. John the beloved disciple, says; '^If 
any man see his brother sin a sin v/hich is not 
unto death he shall ask, and he shall give him 
life for them that sin not unto death. There is 
a sin unto dealn: I do not say that he shall pray 
for it.'' 1. John V. 16. 

Now here is a sin for which there is no lor- 
giveness, neither in this world (or age) or in that 
to come; Vv^hich shall not be forgiven at all; he 
that committeth it hath never forgiveness, is in 
danger of eternal damnation; he cannot be re- 
newed again to repentance, because he hath 
crucified Christ to himself afresh, and hath put 
him to an open shame; having sinned wilfully 
and maliciously, after receiving the knowledge 
of the truth; to such no more sacrifice for sins 
remaineth: judgement and fiery indignation are 
his certain portion, he is an adversary, and must 
be devoured; a sorer punishment than death 
%vithout mercy awaits him, of v/hich he is -v/ cr- 
thy, for that he hath trodden under foot the Son 
of God, the only Saviour, and hath counted the 
precious blood of the covenant, vrherewith he 
was sanctified, and which alone is able to 
cleanse from sin, an unholy thing; and hath 
done despite to the Spirit of grace, vvhi(^i is 
only able to renew the heart, and therefore the 
case of such must be desperate; for if such an 
one like Esau, should wish to repent and gain 
what he had lost, it could not be, for he v^^ould 
find no place for repentance, though he might ^ 
seek it carefully with tears; for having commit- 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION, 1 \d 



ted the sin unto death^ for v/hich no prayer is io 
be made, no intercession offered up, he is bound 
over to the second death, the iake of fire and 
brimstone, and must bear the punishment of his 
sins for ever and ever!!! Vfhat say you to 
this? 

Minister. As when Nebuchadnezzar told 
Daniel ' his dream, he vras astonished for one 
hour at the greatness of the punishment which 
he saw would inevitably come upon the King; 
much more must all those be, who read and con- 
sider these dreadful threatenings which must 
surely come upon all those who have sinned in 
the manner described! I shall make a fev/ ob- 
servations upon these most terrible passages of 
Scripture; partly to prevent feeble minds from 
falling into despair, that may see them collected 
in one striking view; partly to cure proud minds 
of presumption; and partly to shew that the doc- 
trine of the Restoration may be defended, not- 
withstanding. 

1. We are sure that the scribes and Phari- 
sees of our Saviour's time, who blasphemously 
ascribed his miracles to the power of the devil, 
did, in the most direct and undeniable manner, 
commit that sin, and some are doubtful whether 
it can be committed by any in these days. 

2. It is generally acknowledged, that the He- 
brews were in danger of committing that sin, by 
openly and wilfully apostatizing from Christiani- 
ty, and publicly renouncing Christ and his sal- 
vation, and blaspheming against the Holy Ghost 
after having been partakers of its extraordinary 
gifts. 



116 



DIALOGUES Oi^ THE 



3. It cannot be committed by ignorant per- 
sons, nor without a considerable degree of mal- 
ice prepense; light in the understanding, and 
malice in the heart, are necessary ingredients 
of this dreadful crime; and it appears to me, it 
must be committed openly, and that it cannot be 
committed in thought only. 

4. Under the Levitic^al dispensation there 
were many unpardonable sins— crimes that could 
not be forgiven or overlooked, and for which no 
atonement could be made, and which were pun- 
ished with death, without mercy; other crimes, 
unless sacrifices were offered, and repentance 
took place, subjected the parties to death also: 
but under the gospel, there is but one crime that 
is properly unpardonable, and that absolutely 
subjects the person guilty of it to the second 
death; yet many other sins are threatened with 
the same punishment conditionally, but they 
may be forgiven, and not punished at all; but 
this one must as certainly be punished with the 
second death, as murder or any other crime, was 
by the law of Moses punished with the death 
of the body w^ithout mercy or forgiveness. For- 
gerij is the unpardonable sin of Kngland; peo- 
ple frequently suffer death for other crimes, as 
well as this; but other offences are sometimes 
forgiven, but this never; it is always punished 
with death. This circumstance may illustrate 
my meaning. The sin against the Holy Ghost 
is an offence of that kind, that, cither owing to 
its uncommon malignity (as is most likely) or 
some other cause, exposes the guilty persons to 
the age of judgement, from which he cannot es- 
cape by repentance, pardon, and sprinkHng of 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION, i 1 7 



the blood of Christ as other sinners may: neith- 
er can he be at present born of the Spirit, to 
which he hath done despite ; nor can he be re- 
claimed by any possible means, in this age, or 
in the age that is to succeed this, but is inevita- 
bly bound over to suffer the inconceivable tor- 
ments of the second death, or lake of fire and 
brimstone after the day of judgement. 

5. There is no kind of dispute between us, 
respecting the certainty of the punishment of 
such; in this we both agree: He that sinneth a- 
gainst the Holy Ghost, is in danger of eternal 
damnation, or judgement, or the second 
death: — The question is, shall there ever come 
a time, when the second death, or lake of fire, 
shall no more exist? If this can be proved, the 
conclusion will be evident, viz. that not one shall 
remain under the power thereof to all eternity : 
Upon this, and this alone, depends the solution 
of this awful, interesting, and most important 
question; and I consider all other answers as 
mere quibbles, compared w^ith this. And if it 
cannot be proved that a time will come when all 
that bears the name of death shall be destroyed, 
those who commit the sin unto death, must at 
least be allowed to stand as exceptions to the 
general rule: and, I am apt to think, the rule it- 
self will be overthrown. I shall therefore labor 
this point a little; and if I should be so happy as 
to prove to your satisfaction the total destruction 
of death, it will answer many other objections 
as well as this. , My only refuge is scripture; if 
that fails me, I shall not presume to pursue the 
subject farther. 



118 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



Isa. XXV. 8. "He will swallow up Death in 
victory; and Adonai Jehovah will wipe away 
tears from off ali faces." Hos. xiii. 14. " I 
will ransom them from the power of the grave; 
I wiJl redeem them from death, O death, I v/ill 
be thv plagues; O grave, (or hell) 1 will be thy 
destruction. Repentance shall be hid from mine 
eyes." 1. Cor. xv. 26. "The last enemy that 
shall be destroyed is Dea/Zi" — or rather, as the 
words may more properly be arranged, "DeaM," 
the last enemy, shall be destroyed." The sec- 
ond death is infinitely more the enemy of man 
than the first, and may therefore be consid- 
ered as an enemy which God will destroy. 

Now, if the last enemy shall be destroyed, 
there will not be one left. 

But the first is true; therefore also the last. 
As, would it not be highly absurd to say, that, 
although the very last enemy shall be destroyed, 
yet, many millions shall remain to all eternity.^ 

Verse 56. " The sting of Death is sin." While 
sin remains in existence, death will be able to 
show its sting; but the time will come when 
death shall have no sting to boast of ; therefore 
sin, and consequently death of every kind, shall 
be destroyed. 1 John iii. 3. " For this purpose 
the Son of God was manifested, that he might 
destroy the works of the devil." Unless Christ 
finally destroys the works of the devil, even all 
sin out of the universe, his purpose must be 
•eternally frustrated. 

But the last can never be; therefore the first 
is true. 

Heb. ii. 14. "Forasmuch, then as the children 
are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 



119 



likewise took part of the same; that through 
death he might destroy him that had the power 
of death, that is the devil." — Now what death 
has the devil power over? The death of the 
body ? 0.r that of the soul, which consists in 
enmity against God, and separation from him? 

To be carnally minded death; but to be spir- 
itually minded is life and peace. Because the 
carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not 
subject to the law of God, neither indeed can 
be. "Rom. viii. 6, 7. If this death with the conse- 
quence of it, is that which the devil hath the 
power of, then must this death be destroyed. 

But, I think, the first is true; therefore also 
the last. 

Rev. xxi. 4. We read, ''And God shall w^ipe 
away ail tears from their eyes; and there shall 
be no more Death, neither sorrow, nor crying, 
neither shall there be any more pain; for the for- 
mer things are passed away." Here is a state 
spoken of beyond all death; a state wherein, 
sorrow, crying, and pain shall be no more. This 
state is cotemporary with the new heaven and 
earth, after the lake of fire hath ceased. 

Friend. We have always understood this 
passage to relate to the death of the body, and 
even to the death of the righteous only; but 
making this state cotemporary with the new 
heavens and earth, seems to throw new light up-^ 
on the subject. 

Minister Most certainly the word Death here 
implies the second death; for we are informed, 
in the foregoing chapter, of the first resurrec- 
tion even that of the martyrs who were behead- 
ed for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of 



120 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



God; and such as had not worshiped the beast 
and his image, neither had received his mark in 
their foreheads, or in their hands; then vve read 
of a thousand years between this resurrection, 
and the rest of the dead hving again; after this, 
we find, that the dead, small and great, stood be- 
fore God, and were judged; and such as were 
not found vvTitten m the book of life, were cast 
into the lake of fire, which is expressly called 
'Uhe second death;" which as before observed 
is probably the earth in its melted state. In 
this chapter we find, that all things are to be 
made new; and Death is to be no more, neither 
sorrow, nor crying, neither any more pain. But 
this must be the second death, or lake of fire; 
for the resurrection of all the bodies, both of 
the just and the unjust, had been spoken of be- 
fore. 

Thus, as all sin, and all that bear the name 
of death shall be entirely destroyed at last; the 
doctrine of endless misery seems to fall to the 
ground, or at least cannot be certainly proved 
From scripture, but rather the contrary. 

The time must come v/hen all things shall be 
subject to Christ, when he shall destroy death, 
the last enemy, by - destroying sin which is the 
sting of death, so this dreadful sin, as well as 
others, shall be no more. For if this was not to 
be the case, it never could be true, that ''where 
sin abounded, grace did much more abound;" 
for it never would abound quite so m.uch; nei- 
ther would death and hell be silent when God 
should ask the great questions, ^'O death where 
is thy sting? O grave {or hell) w^here is thy vic- 
tory ?" for death could say, here is my sting, 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 



121 



that sin against the Holy Ghost, which must en- 
dure to all eternity, and which even divine grace 
shall never destroy; I have, therefore, the victo- 
ry and dominion over these sinners who have 
committed it, and will hold it while God himself 
exists. Then death could never be destroyed, 
nor swallowed up in victory; neither would sor- 
row, crying, and pain cease; neither could God 
ever be all in all, in any other sense, with 
respect to them, than he is nov/; nor would ev- 
ery tongue swear; neither would all things 
wholly be made new; nor all the former things 
ever pass away! Neither could the universal 
chorus of praise ever be sung by every crea- 
ture, in heaven, or earth, and under the earth, 
and throughout God's wide domain; and, finally 
many Scriptures would never seem to be ful- 
filled, in the fullest sense. Rom. v. 20, 21. 

But where sin abounded, grace did much more 
abound; that as sin hath reigned unto death; 
even so might grace reign, through righteous- 
ness, unto eternal life, by Jesus Christ our 
Lord." Now, if grace shall abound more than 
sin, it shall be as universal and more powerful. 
But the first is true therefore also the last. If 
grace shall be as extensive as sin, and more 
powerful, all who have sinned shall be restored; 
but the first is true; therefore also the last. 

Wliat consequences must follow from the sup- 
position, that some of God's creatures shall al- 
ways rema'n his enemies! Either God created 
some to be miserable to endless ages, or must be 
frustrated eternally in his designs, or all must be 
restored at last, and made happy by love and 
free love. 

11 



122 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



The first is blasphemous, the second is dishon- 
orable to God; therefore, the third must be true: 
for I cannot think of a fourth conclusion. 

Friend. What do you think of the deplorable 
case of Esau, who, for one morsel of meat, sold 
his birthright; and aiterwards, when he would 
have inherited the blessing, he w^as rejected; for 
he found no place of repentance, though he 
sought it carefully, wdth tears?. 

Minister. He certainly lost, or rather sold 
his birthright; in consequence of which, he lost 
tlie blessing belonging to the firstborn: but lest 
any should be led to conclude from this, that poor 
Esau had no blessings at all, the same apostle 
informs us, that, ''By faith, Isaac blessed Jacob 
and Esau, concerning things to come.'' Heb. xi. 
20. By this we find, he v/as blessed as w^ell as 
Jacob; but in a less degree. 

Friend. Do we not read, ''Jacob have I loved, 
but Esau have I hated." Rom. ix. 13. Mai. i. 
2, 3. 

Minister. Yes, most certainly : but then this 
love and hatred, so called, w^as maniiested to 
their posterity, and not to their persons, in the 
manner described by the prophet; "I have lov- 
ed you, saith Jehovah; yet ye say, wherein 
hast thou loved us ? Was not Esau Jacob's broth- 
er? saith Jehovah; yet I loved Jacob, and I ha- 
ted Esau, and laid his mountains and his herit- 
age waste, for the dragons of the wilderness." 
This manifestation of hatred did not affect the 
eternal state of their souls, but their condition in 
this world. God declared, that Jacob's seed^ 
should exist as a distinct people to the end of 
time, but that Esau's should not; and this differ- 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 



ence is evident; for the remains of Esau's seed 
were, in the days of the Maccabees, incorpora- 
ted with the seed of Jacob, and existed no more 
for ever, as a nation by themselves. From Ja- 
cob's race the Messiah v/as to come, and all na- 
tions were to be blessed in the seed of Israel. 
In all these instances, and in many others, there 
was a manifest preference of Jacob to Esaii; 
but nothing- like positive hatred can be intended. 

Christ says, (St. Luke, xiv. 26) " If any man 
come to me, and bate not his father and mother, 
and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, 
yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my dis- 
ciple;" But we cannot suppose our Lord in- 
tended positive, but comparative hatred.; accord- 
ing to St. Matthew, x. S'7. He thatloveth fath- 
er or mother more than me is not worthy of me; 
and he that loveth son or daughter more than 
me, is not worthy of me. 

Friend. What you have said upon this sub- 
ject appears to have some weight, and I will 
Consider it more Mly hereafter; but I must beg 
leave to ask you, how you get over that great 
gulph which is placed between the regions of 
Paradise and Gehenna^ of which Abraham speaks 
to the rich man; saying, and besides all this, be- 
tween us and you there is a great gulph fixed; 
so that they which would pass from hence to 
you, cannot; neither can they pass to us, that 
would come from thence. Does not this imply 
the absolute impossibility of the rich man's be- 
ing ever restored ? 

Minister. You have asked me many ques- 
tions; give me leave to ask you one. Do you 



124 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



believe^ that Jesus of Nazareth was able to pass 
that impassable gulph? 

Friend. Indeed, that is a question I never 
heard proposed before; and which I am not pre- 
pared to answer, without farther consideration. 
Pray be so kind as to give an answer yourself^ 
and tell me what you think of it. 

Minister, I believe, that with man it is im- 
possible; but with God all things are possible. 
And I believe, that Jesus Christ was not only 
able to pass, but that he actually did pass that 
gulph, which v/as impassable to all men, but not 
to him. And he assures St. John, that he had 
passed it, and not only so, but that he had the 
keys of the same in his possession; for he saith, 
Fear not, I am the first and the last; I am he 
that liveth, and was dead; and behold, I am 
alive for evermore, amen; and have the keys of 
hell and death." And St. Peter informs us, 
that " Christ once suffered for sins, the just for 
the unjust, (that he might bring us^unto God); 
being put to death in the flesh, but quickened 
by the spirit; by which also he went and preach- 
ed to the spirits in prison; who sometime were 
disobedient, when once the long suffering of God 
waited, in the days of Noah, while the ark was 
preparing." And he also tells us, that we ^^shall 
give account to him that is ready to judge the 
quick and the dead. For this cause was the 
gospel preached also to them that are dead," (in 
distinction from them that are quick) " that they 
might be judged according to men in the flesh, 
but live according to God in the spirit." See 
Rev. i. 18. 1 Pet. iii. 18, 19,20. iv. 5, 6. 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 



125 



Friend. You know, the common ©pinion is, 
that the Spirit of God, in Noah, preached unto 
the inhabitants of the old world; who, in St. Pe- 
ter's time, were shut up in the prison of hell. 
But I must confess, it appears to me a very 
dark text. 

Minister. If you only observe how particu- 
lar the expressions are in these texts, I think it 
will soon appear that not the Spirit of God in 
JS^oah, but the spirit, or soul, of Christ in its dis- 
embodied state, is here intended. His body 
was doubtless quickened by his soul, or spirit, 
coming into it again: was it not? 

Friend. It seems most reasonable to believe 
it was. 

Minister. Then observe the next words, he 
went; here the idea of a journey to a distant 
place js intimated, the original word being ex- 
pressive of an actual passage from one place to 
another, and is the same that is used in verse 
22, for the ascension of Christ into heaven; so 
that he appears to have gone into the prison in the 
same proper sense, as he afterwards went into 
heaven. He actually journied to the place of 
confinement, and preached to the spirits^ fyc. He 
preached the gospel, no doubt, not to men in the 
body, but to the spirits, to those in a disembodi^ 
ed state; not only so, but to the spirits in prison. 
Had they not been in prison, Christ would not 
have gone into the prison to preach to them. 
But, who were these spirits? — St. Peter informs 
us, that they are those who were sometime diso- 
bedient; but this expression intimates that the 
time is perfectly past; as, ^'Ye were the servants 
of sin; for when ve were the servants of sin, ye 
*11 



126 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



were free from righteousness." Rom. vi. 17, 20, 
St. Peter tells us when they were disobedient; 
when once the long suiiering of God waited ia 
the days of No^^h, while the ark was preparing. 
Here he evidently distir^guishes the two periods 
of their visitation; one is called the preaching of 
Christ, by his spirit, after he was put to death 
in the flesh; and the other is called the long suf- 
fering of God, which waited in the days of ]Vo- 
ah, while the ark was preparing. The long suf- 
fering of God waited upon them, before they 
were drowned, while the ark was building; 
but Clirist preached to them when they were 
spirits in prison. They were disobedient to 
God's long suffering; but it is not certain that 
they were so Vvhen Christ preached to them; but 
the contrary is intimated in these words: " For, 
this cause was the gospel preached also to them 
that are dead, he. This cannot intend those 
that are spiritually dead only, but those whose 
bodies are dead; because we here find the dead 
set in opposition to the quick, or those whose 
bodies are alive, and not those that are spir- 
itually alive; for we may observe, that when- 
ever the words quick and dead occur, by quick, 
we always understand those whose bodies are 
alive; and by dead, these who have ceased to 
exist here. 

Acts, X. 40, &c. St. Peter, in his sermon to 
Cornelius and his family, informed them of Je- 
sus, who was sla.in, whom ''God raised from the 
dead, and shewed him openly; not to all the 
people, but unto witnesses, chosen before God; 
even to us, who did eat and drink with him, af- 
ter he rose from the dead. And he commanded 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 



127 



us to preach unto fhe people, and to testify, that 
it is he, who was ordained of God to be the 
judge of quick and dead." And St. Paul says 
to Timothy, I charge thee, therefore, before 
God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge 
the quick and the dead at his appearing, and his 
kingdom; preach the word," &c. See 2 Tim, 
iv. 1 . So, in 1 Pet. iv. 5, the words quick and 
dead are used in the same manner; and then 
immediately, while the idea is warm in our 
.minds, the apostle gives us the reasons why the 
-gospel was preached to the dead, (or the spirits 
in prison) of which he had before informed us, 
and now repeats again, and assures us, that it 
was, that they might be judged according to 
men, in the flesh; or, as though they had heard 
it while they were alive in the flesh; but also, 
that they might live according to God, in the 
spirit. The gospel not only was, but is, preach- 
ed to them that are dead, in a moral or a spirit- 
ual sense. It need not have been said; For, for 
this cause was the gospel preached also to them 
that are dead, if only the spiritually dead are in- 
tended;' for it is rarely preached to any other 
but such. Why should it be said, that they 
might be judged according to men in the flesh, 
if they were men in the flesh at the time when it 
was preached to them? 

This passage proves the existence of the soul 
tifter the death of the body; for unless the soul 
of the antediluvians existed alter the drov/ning of 
their bodies, Christ could not have preached to 
them in prison. But the dead behig opposed to 
the quick in this passage, sufhciently, and even 
incontestibly, determines the sense. 



123 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



With a little attention, we may easily be con- 
vinced, that Christ was not only designed to be 
a covenant of the people, (meaning the Jews) 
and a light to the Gentiles; which two descrip- 
tions, comprehend all the living; but also, to 
bring out the prisoners from prison, and them 
that sit in darkness, out of the prison house; 
which (if it be not a repetition) must intend thQ 
dead, as all the living were mentioned before. 

'^And he said, it is a light thing that thou 
shouldest be my servant, to raise up the tribes 
of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: 
I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles^ 
that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end 
of the earth. Thus saith Jehovah, in an ac- 
ceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day 
of salvation have I helped thee; and I will pre- 
serve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the 
people, to establish the earth, to cause to 
inherit the desolate heritages." Thus far the 
Redeemer's work seems limited to the earth, and 
respects the living. But the prophet goes much 
farther, and says, That thou mayest say to the 
prisoners, go forth; to them that are in darkness^ 
shew yourselves; they shall feed in the ways, 
and their pastures shall be in all high places. 
They shall not hunger, nor thirst; neither shall 
the heat nor sun smite them; for he that hath 
mercy upon them shall lead them, even by the 
springs of water shall he guide them." See 
Isaiah, xlii. 6, 7. xlix. 6, 8,^9, 10. Compared 
with Rev. vii. 14, 15, 16, 17. The words of the 
Saviour, as described by the elegant pen of 
Isaiah, (chap. Ixi. 1, 2, 3) seem to comprehend 
a great variety of particulars; all which he hath 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 1^29 



performed already, or shall execute in due time. 
''The Spirit of Adonia Jehovah is upon me; 
because Jehovah hath anointed me, (1) to 
preach good tidings to the meek: (2) He hath 
sent me to bind up the broken hearted; (3) to 
proclaim liberty to the captives, (4) and the 
opening of the prison to them that are bound: 
(5) To proclaim the acceptable year of Jeho- 
vah, (6) and the day of vengeance of our God: 
(7) To comfort all that mourn: (8) To appoint 
unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them: 
Firsty beauty of ashes; Secondly ^ the oil of joy 
for mourning; Thirdly, the garment of praise 
for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be 
called, Fwsty Trees of righteousness; Secondly, 
The planting of Jehovah, (and all for this 
end) — that he might be glorified." 

Our Lord Jesus Christ, by his process, hath 
laid a foundation for the recovery of all men. 

For to this end Christ both died, rose, and re- 
vived, that he might be Lord, both of the dead 
and living." Rom. xiv. 9. — He passed through 
all our states, that he might redeem us. He 
came down from heaven — he was conceived in 
the womb of Mary — he was born of her — he 
lived in the world unknown — he sympathized 
with us in our sorrows — he bare our sins in his 
own body, on the tree— he w^as buried— he de- 
scended into Hades—he arose — ascendeth- — 
sitteth at the right hand of God — and maketh 
continual intercession for us. 

It seemed necessary, that our Saviour should 
visit men in all situations, that he might redeem 
them. — The apostle informs us, saying, " For- 
asmuch as the children are partakers of 



130 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took 
part of the same; that through death, he might 
destroy him that had the power of death, that is, 
the devil; and dehver them, who, through fear 
of death, were all their life time subject to bond- 
age Heb. ii. 14, 15. It was not only necessa- 
ry that he should die, to vanquish death, and to 
redeem us from its power; but it was equally 
needful for him to go into those places, where 
spirits w^ere confined in the regions of darkness, 
that he might gain universal dominion, spoil 
principalities^ and redeem the captives whom he 
had bought with his blood, in order that he might 
ascend up to Heaven, and open to his followers 
the gates of eternal lile. 

Wherefore he saith, when he ascended up 
on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts 
unto men.— Now that he ascended, what is it but 
that he also descended first into the lower parts 
of the earth? He that descended is the same 
also that ascended up far above all heavens, that 
he might fill all things.'' Eph. iv. 8, 9, 10. "And 
having spoiled principalities and powers, he made 
a show of them openly, triumphing over them in 
it." Col. ii. 15. 

Thus our Saviour by his divine process, hath 
obtained a right to open the prison doors, and let 
the captives go free; and though the rich man 
was in torments where he could not get a drop of 
water to cool his tongue, and had jt/doeme?2iu'i^A- 
otit mercy, because he had shewed no mercy; yet 
it is possible that, by the blood of the covenant, 
he may be sent forth out of the pit wherein there 
is no water. See Zech. ix, 11. — The Lord 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATIONS 



131 



Jesus is able to take the prey from tlie mighty, 
and to deUver the lawful captive. Isa. xlix. ^Z4. 

'^Such as sit in darkness, and in the shadow of 
death, being bound in afilictionj and iron; be- 
cause they rebelled against the words of God, 
and contemned the counsel of the Most High; 
therefore he brought down their heart with labor; 
they fell down and there was none to help.'^ 
This evidently points out the deplorably misera- 
ble state of sinners, cut oft' in their sins; hav- 
ing rebelled against God's words, and contemn- 
ed his counsels; lor which reason he hath shut 
them up in darkness, and in the shadow of death; 
in such a situation, that no power but his own^ 
can give them the least help, much less release. 
Such circumstances seldom occur in this life; 
but these words are a lively and affecting de- 
scription of the miseries of the future state. 

''Then they cried unto Jehovah in their troub- 
le, and he saved them out of their distresses. 
He brought them out of darkness, and the shad* 
ow of death, and brake their bands in sunder. 
Othat m.en would praise Jehovah for his good- 
ness, and for his w^onderful works to the chil- 
dren of men! For he hath broken the gates of 
brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder." Psal 
cvii. 10, 16. 

This amazing deliverance seems to be de- 
scribed in such language, as corresponds much 
better with the deliverance of the spirits from 
tlieir dreadful prison, than wdth any temporal 
mercies tliat are hestow^ed on mankind here on 
earth. '' The righteous shall see it and rejoice; 
and all iniquity shall stop her mouth: whoso is 
wise, and will observe those things, even they 



132 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



shall understaBd the loving kmdness of Jeho- 
vah," ver. 42, 43. 

Those who are acquainted with the Divine 
character, and see his designs of mercy tow^ards 
his creatures, shall rejoice in the same. They 
that are wise, shall observe these things, and 
shall understand his loving kindness; and that 
^'Jehovah is good to all; and his tender mercies, 
are over all his works." Psal. cxlv. 9. 

Thus, how impossible soever It might appear 
to us, that the rich man should ever be delivered, 
we must remember, that 'Svith God nothing shall 
be impossible." St. Luke i. 37. ^'Is there any 
thing too hard for Jehovah?" Gen. xviii. 14.. 
' 'Behold (says he) I am Jehovah, the God of 
all flesh: Is there any thing too hard for me?" 
Jeremiah xxxii. 27. 

Our Saviour says, St. Matth. xix. 24, St.. 
Mark x, 25, St. Luke xviii. 25. ''It is easier 
for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, 
than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of 
God." Whether the w^ord here used, intends 
a camel, or a cable, it certainly implied the 
greatest difficulty imaginable, even amount- 
ing in the view of his disciples, to a natural im- 
possibility, or they would not have been as the 
evangelist expresses, exxeedingly amazed and as- 
fonished out of measure at his words, "saying a- 
mong themselves, who then can be saved?" 
But though Jesus meant to represent the mat- 
ter as in itself a kind of natural impossibility, 
and absolutely impossible to men; yet he could 
not intend thereby, that it never should be ac- 
complished, because he immediately adds,^'with 
men this is impossible; but not with God. For 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 133 



with God all things are possible." St. Mark^ x. 
27. Therefore, though it was impossible for 
men to pass the gulph between Paradise and 
Gehenna; yet as we have seen, Christ was able, 
and therefore as we know not the ne plus ultra of 
his power to save, we cannot positively conclude 
against the Restoration, from this instance of the 
rich man, unless we could find some passages o 
Scripture, where God has promised never to res- 
tore, or to reconcile such to himself, whom he 
hath once cast off; the contrary to which, I 
think, may be proved; but I am at present con- 
sidering, that, in the nature of things, it is not 
impossible for God to restore the rich man, if he 
so pleases; and consequently others that are in the 
same situation. 

Behold the rich man in another world— He 
seems noio to have much more true benevo- 
lence in him, than in his life time ; for when he 
could not obtain a drop of water for his tongue, 
he pleads much more earnestly for Lazarus to 
be sent to his five brethren, to testify to them, 
lest they also should come into the same place 
of torment with himself. Here he urges the 
matter most earnestly; and does not seem will- 
ing to be denied. This shows him not to have 
been so lost to virtue as Satan; since he and 
his angels, though miserable themselves, seek to 
make all men so too, though their torments are 
increased thereby. 

Add to all this, that Abraham called the rich 
man, ^^iSoTi" and bade him remember, that in his 
life time he had his good things; and likewise 
Lazarus, evil things; and that therefore it was 
but reasonable that the scene should be chang- 
12 



134 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



ed; that Lazarus should be comforted, and he 
tormented. And I think, nothing can be fairly 
argued from this case, in favor of endless dam- 
nation: For in this case if he was doomed to suf- 
fer while God exists^ there could be no propor- 
tion between the sufferings, torments and evil 
things of Lazarus on earth, and those which he 
endured in hell; whereas it is intimated in the 
Scriptures, that all things are determined by 
number, weight and measure.— Let us hear 
what our Lord has said upon the subject. St. 
Luke xii. 47, 48. '^And that servant who knew 
his Lord's will and prepared not himself, neither 
did according to his will, shall be beaten with 
MANY stripes. But he that knew not and did 
commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten 
with FEW stripes; for unto whomsoever much is 
given, of him shall much be required; and ta 
whom men have committed much, of him, they 
will ask the more.^' But what difference, so 
much to be noticed, could there be, if both were 
to be beaten to all etemity'? Or how could either 
be said to have few, if there never was to be an 
end ?— Impossible ! Rev.xviii.T. ^'Hov/ much she 
(Babylon) hath glorilied herself, and lived deli- 
ciously ; so much torment and sorrow give her.'^ 
All this appears just and reasonable. But to 
suppose a poor ignorant heathen, or a child of 
ten years old, will remain in misery as long as 
the most persecuting tyrant, or apostate Christ- 
ian; seems to cotradict all the ideas we have of 
justice and equity, as well as of goodness; for 
in this case, who can suppose that each one is 
exactly rewarded according to his works ? And 
especially can any think, that me7xy has any 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION, 135 



hand in a reward, where there is seemingly no 
proporton? Whereas we read (Psal. Ixii. 12) 
^'Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy; for 
thou renderest to every man according to his 
work.'' 

Fritnd, Indeed, I could not have thought 
that so much could have been said upon that side 
of the case; and though I am not yet, wholly 
satisfied, I must confess, some of my great diffi- 
culties seem to be removed from what you have 
said; and yet there appears something very 
dreadful in the account. Pray, do you under^ 
stand it as a parable ? 

Minister. 1 am most inclined to think it is 
a piece of real history, known to our Saviour, 
who was well acquainted with what passed in 
the spiritual, as well as the natural world; and 
who intended thereby to give an awful warning 
to the Pharisees, (who were covetous) of the 
dreadful condition of wicked rich men in the 
next state; and especially, of those who neglect 
or despise the poor. 

Friend. I am inclined to think with you in 
this matter; and therefore, without any farther 
delay, I shall pass to mention another strong ob- 
jection to the doctrine of the Restoration of all 
men; viz. the instance of Judas; of whom our 
Saviour says, '^The Son of man goeth, as it is 
written of him; but woe to that man by whom 
the Son of man is betrayed; it had been good 
for that man, if he had not been born. St. Matt, 
xxvi. 24. St. Mark, xiv. 21. If Judas should 
ever be restored, how could the Saviour say, 
^^Good were it for that man; if he had never been 
born?" I think you will find it difficult to re- 



136 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



move this objection; for, if he is ever to be hap- 
py, (though after many ages) it will be good for 
him that he was born. 

Minister, I cannot think that this is so strong 
an argument against the general Restitution, as 
most that use it imagine. It was a common prov- 
erb among the Jews, when any great misfortune 
happened to a man, or his family, to say, '^Good 
were it for that man, if he had never been 
born." And thus our Saviour used it with great 
propriety respecting Judas; for who that thinks 
with any reason at all, would not have wished 
that he had never been born, rather than to have 
betrayed the dear Redeemer. 

Friend. But can any thing less than endless 
damnation be sufficient to justify the expression 
of "Good were it for that man, that he had never 
been born. 

Minister. I am of opinion that even worldly 
troubles (short as they are) may sufficiently jus- 
tify the expression. There are a thousand cir- 
cumstances into which the children of Adam 
fall, that make their case infinitely worse than 
though they had never been born, even without 
supposing a state of future punishment at 
all. I had rather, a thousand times, never have 
been born, than to have betrayed Christ, even 
upon the supposition that I had never been 
doomed to suffer for it beyond this life. — Job, 
when he had lost his substance, his children, and 
his ease, opened his mouth, and, through excess 
of grief cursed the day of his birth ; though it 
does not appear that he had any fear of future 
damnation, but the reverse. 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. ISI 

And Job spake, and said; ^'Let the day per- 
ish wherein 1 was born; and the night in which 
it was said, there is a man-child conceived. 
Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it 
from above; neither let the light shine upon it» 
Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it; 
let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of 
day territy it. As for that night, let darkness 
seize upon it; let it not be joined unto the days 
of the year; let it not come into the number of 
months. Lo! let that night be solitary; let no 
joyful voice come therein* Let them curse it 
that curse the day, who are ready to raise up in 
their mourning. — Let the stars of the twilight 
thereof be dark; let it look for light, but have 
none; neither let it see the dawning of the day; 
because it shut not up the doors of my mother's 
womb, nor hid sorrow from mine eyes. Why 
died I not from the womb? Why did not I 
give up the ghost, when I cam.e out of the belly? 
Why did the knees prevent me? or, why the 
breast that I should suck? For now should I 
have been still, and been quiet; 1 should have 
slept; then had I been at rest, with kings and 
counsellors of the earth, v»^ho built desolate pla- 
ces for themselves; or with princes, that had 
gold, v/ho filled their houses with silver: or, as 
an hidden, untimely birth, I had not been; as in- 
fants, who never saw light. There the wicked 
cease from troubling; and there the weary be at 
rest. There the prisoners rest together; they 
hear not the voice of the oppressor. The small 
and great are there; and the servant is free from 
his master," See Job, iii. 2—19. 

n2 



138 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



From this discourse, it seems, that Job thought 
it would have been better for him never to have 
been born than to have fallen into such sore 
troubles in this present life, without taking the 
other into his account; but if he h^d known that 
he had been doomed to suffer the amazing tor- 
ments of the second death, in the lake of fire 
and brimstone, what would he have said; Even 
upon the supposition that it was only to last for 
ages, he would have thought that his being born 
into this world to be fitted for such a punishment, 
would have been the greatest curse that could 
have befallen him. 

If Job, who could say, I know that my Re- 
deemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the lat- 
ter day upon the earth. And, though after my 
skin v/orms destroy this body, yet in my fiesh 
shall I see God; whom I shall see for myself, 
and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; 
though my reins be consumed within me. He 
knoweth the way that I take; and when he hath 
tried me, I shall come forth as gold. My foot 
hath held his steps; his way have I kept, and not 
declined; neither have I gone back from the 
commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the 
words of his mouth more than my necessary 
food. Though he slay me, yet will I trust in 
him; but I will maintain mine own ways before 
him. He also shall be my salvation. My 
righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go; 
my heart shall not reproach me so long as I 
live." (See Job, xix. 25, 26, 27. xxiii. 10, 1 1, 
12. xiii. 15, 16. xxvii. 6,) And who could make 
such a solemn protestation of his innocence 
and uprightness, before God and man, as we find 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION, 



139 



in the xxix. xxs. xxxi. chapters of that book. 
If such a maa had reason to say, " Wherefore 
then, hast thou brought me forth out of the 
womb ? Oh ! that I had given up the ghost and 
no eye had seen me! I should have been as 
though I had not been; I should have been car- 
ried from the womb to the grave." (See Job, 
X. 18, 19) with what amazing propriety might 
Christ say of Judas, the traitor, who sinned in 
such a dreadful manner, and had such horrible 
guilt on his conscience; who died in black des- 
pair, perished in such an awful situation, in his 
sins, and, probably, by his ov/n hands; who suf- 
fered the most violent agitations of mind, died 
under the power of the horrid suggestions of tha 
great enemy of men, without one smile, or look 
of forgiveness,from Jesus, or even daring to seek 
it; v/hose sorrow in this life far exceeded Job's, 
(for Job had no sense of guilt, treason, and in- 
gratitude; nor v/as he filled with rage, blasphe- 
my, and despair) — and who must probably have 
his portion in the second death; — ^^Good were it 
for that man, if he had never been born! even 
upon the supposition that his torments are not 
designed to continue while God exists. 

Jeremiah is another instance much to my pur- 
pose; v/ho wished he had never been born, even 
at the very time when he knew that the Lord 
v/as his helper; only because he had been put in 
the stocks by Pashur, and had suffered a little 
pain and shame in a good cause. He was^ not 
afraid oi endless dariinaiiony nor yet of any fu- 
ture punishment; for he thus expressed himself, 
in all the language of full assurance: "But Je- 
hovah is with me, as a mighty terrible one; 



140 



DIALOGUES ON TH^ 



therefore, my persecutors shall stumble, and they 
shall not prevail: they shall be greatly ashamedy 
for they shall not prosper; their everlasting con- 
fusion shall never be forgotten. But, O Jeho- 
vah of Hosts, that tries! the righteous, and seest 
the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance 
©n them (or, thou wilt let me see, &c.) for unto 
thee have I opened my cause. Sing unto Je- 
HovAH, praise ye Jehovah, for he hath deliver- 
ed the soul of the poor from the hand of evil 
doers. How strong his faith! how full his as- 
surance! Yet it is evident, that he thought it 
Would have been much better for him personal- 
ly, never to have been born; for he immediately 
adds, "cursed be the day v*/herein I was born: 
let not the day wherein my mother bare me, be 
blessed. Cursed be the man who brought tid- 
ings to niy father, saying, a man-child is born 
unto thee, making him very glad. . And let that 
iRan be as the cities which Jehovah overthrew, 
and repented not. And let him hear the cry in 
Ihe morning, and the shouting at noontide; be- 
cause he slew me not from the womb ; or that 
my mother might have been my grave^ and her 
womb to be always great with me. Wherefore 
came I out of the womb, to see labor and sor- 
TOW^ that my days should be consumed with 
shame?" See Jer. xx. 11—18. 

Here is not a word about a state of future 
punishment, much less endless damnation, and 
yet the good prophet Jeremiah thought, that if 
he had never been born, it would have been far 
better for him. 

jFriend. I must confess, I never before con- 
sidered it possible to answer this objection; you 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 



141 



have done much towards solving it; but you 
must consider, that both Job and Jeremiah pas- 
sionately exclaimed, and, through sorrow, utter- 
ed such words, as, in their cooler moments they 
repented of; and therefore, what they spake of 
themselves cannot wholly set aside the objection. 
Had they dehvered those expressions as general 
truths, and declared, that man had much better 
never have been born, than to have suffered such 
degrees of worldly sorrow, it would have more 
than answered the objection; but, when men 
under grief exclaim in such a manner,we cannot 
ground a matter of such importance upon what 
they say respecting themselves; as their minds, 
being overwheimned with trouble, and the im- 
mediate sensations of pain, are biased, and can- 
not utter the calm dictates of sober reason. 
But Christ, though under great sorrows himself, 
saw the case of Judas so deplorable, that he ex- 
pressed himself thus respecting him; which was 
the sober truth, whithout exaggeration; and could 
this be said of him, or if any other of the human 
race, upon the supposition that misery is not ab- 
solutely endless? 

Minister: We do not find that Job or Jere- 
miah ever recanted, in their cooler moments, 
what they uttered in their sorrows; and our 
Lord, speaking of the destruction of Jerusalem 
says, And woe unto them that are with child, 
and to them that give suck, in those days," See 
St. Matth. xxiv. 19, St. Mark, xiii. 17. Not be- 
cause of their future, endless damnation, in dis- 
tinction from others; but on account of their 
present trouble and sorrow; as is explained, 
Luke xxi. 23. ^^But woe to them that are with 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



thild, and to them that give suck, in those days; 
for there shall be great distress in the land, and 
Wrath upon this people." And when the Sav- 
iour was led to death, we read, '^And there fol- 
lowed him a great company of people, and of 
Women, who also bew^ailed and lamented him* 
But Jesus, turning unto them, said, daughters 
of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but for your- 
selves, and for your children. For behold the 
days are coming, in the which they shall say, 
blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never 
barOj and the paps which never gave suck* 
Then shall they say to the mountains, fall on 
Us; and to the hills, cover us.— For if they do 
these things in a green tree, what shall be done 
in the dry?'' St. Luke, xxii. 27, 3 L 

And who would not, a thousand times^ choose 
rather never to have been born than even to see, 
far les,^ experience, the miseries which came up- 
on Jerusalem and its inhabitants? Would it 
not have been better for mothers never to have 
been born, than to have killed and eaten their 
own children in the siege? — and would it not 
have been better for the children never to have 
been born, than to have been food for their moth- 
ers? 

But Solomon not only represents a state of 
great misery and affliction in this life, as 
worse than not to have been born, but also, a 
state of the greatest prosperity, if it ends in dis- 
grace; for he says, '^If a man beget an hun- 
dred children, and live many years, so that the 
days of his years be many, and his soul be not 
filled with good; and also that he have no burial; 
I say that an untimely birth is better than he. 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 



143 



For he (the untmieiy birth) cometh in with van-' 
ity, and departeth in darkness; and his name 
shall be covered with darkness. Moreover, he 
hath not seen the sun, nor known anything: this 
hath more rest than the other. Yea, though he 
live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he 
seen no good!" (i. e. no equivalent good^ to baU 
ance his disgrace.) Do not all go to one 
place?" All came from dust, and turn to duit 
again. - Eccl. vi. 3, 4, 5^ 6, 

The state here described by Solomon, is not 
only infinitely better than the damnation of hell;, 
though limited by certain peroids; but far pref-^ 
arable to many, if not to most situations of mea 
in this life; and yet' he prefers an untimely birth 
to a man who lives more than twice the age of 
Methuselah, and has an hundred children of his 
own, if he has not his soul filled or satisfied with 
good ! and that he hath no burial, or has not hoi\^ 
or, (credit, or reputation) at his death, 

Long life and many children^ were formerly 
esteemed as the greatest of blessings; but aa 
the things of this life cannot fill the soul with 
good; so a man had better never have been born,^ 
than to have enjoyed the good things of this 
world in the greatest profusion, if he dies in dis-^ 
grace, and has no burial, or is not honored at hisi 
death. Yet this is not v\^orthy to be named ii\ 
the same day with the damnation of hell! yet is 
frequently threatened as a great and terrible 
judgement; which if it falls upon a man, however 
he may have enjoyed long life, health, wealth^j 
and all kinds of prosperity; it makes it worse for 
him than if he had never been born, according 
to the decision of God himself ; and, therefore^ 



144 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



no wonder that Christ said of wicked Judas, 
^^Good were it for that man if he had never been 
born." 

Though I have answered you so largely, yet 
one word might have sufficed to have answered 
the whole objection at first; viz. had Judas died 
before he had been born, and perished from his 
mother's womb, he would never have sinned, far 
less betrayed Christ; he would have entered in- 
to peace immediately, where the wicked cease 
from troubling, and where the weary are at rest." 
In that case, he would have escaped the judg- 
ment that came upon him, and would have had 
more rest than those who should live in all the 
affluence of life two thousand years, and beget 
each an hundred children, and yet should not be 
honored at their death. 

Some would have answered the objection 
shorter, by saying, Christ promised twelve 
thrones to his twelve apostles, among whom Ju- 
das was one ; and therefore, he must be restor- 
ed, or the promise cannot be fulfilled; See St. 
Matth. xix. 28. But this I do not insist upon; 
nevertheless, those who answer the objection 
this way, make an observation that may be 
worth attention: viz. that Peter, speaking of Ju- 
das salth, Let his habitation be desolate, and 
let no man dwell therein:" that is, let his man- 
sion be reserved for him, let no man take pos- 
session of it: but "His bishopric, or office, let 
another take." See Acts, i. 20, compared with 
Psalm Ixix. 25. cix. 8. But I am rather of 
opinion that the desolation of the habitation of 
the wicked, and the v»^ant of inhabitants in their 
tents, respects this state, and is part of the curse 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 145 

pronounced upon all traitors : and may therefore, 
in an eminent sense, be applied to Judas, and 
also to the rebellious nation of the Jews at large: 
and therefore, as these words do not intend their 
Restoration, so neither are they any objection to 
it: for St. Paul applies part of the 69th Ps. to the 
Jews, as truly as St. Peter applies it to Judas: See 
Rom. X. 9, 10. And yet he says, "I say then, have 
they stumbled that they should fail? God forbid: 
But rather, through their fall, salvation is come 
unto the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy. 
Now if the fall of them be the riches of the 
world, and the diminishing of them the riches of 
the Gentiles; how much more their fullness? 
And thus, from the ilth verse to the end of the 
chapter, goes on to speak of their being again 
received, reconciled, and grafted again into their 
own olive tree; and that their blindness is only 
for a time: And so all Israel shall be saved: 
There shall come out of Sion a deliverer, 
and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:" 
That God's covenant, or promise, is to take their 
sins away; that they are beloved for the Father's 
sake; that the gifts and calhngof God are with- 
out repentance: that, therefore, they shall ob- 
tain mercy at last: that for this very purpose 
God hath included them all (or shut them up in 
unbelief) that he might not only punish them 
thereby for their Cransgressions, and also, through 
their unbelief, cause the Gentiles to obtain mercy 
and salvation; but also, that he might have 
mercy upon all those, whom he had thus shut up 
in unbelief, without exception. See the whol^ 
chapter. 

13 



146 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



Here , then, are three designs worthy of s 
God of infinite wisdonij power and goodness, in 
this one dark dispensation, the rejection of the 
Jewish church and nation:— 1. That he might 
punish them for their iniquity: — 2, That others 
might come in their room, stand in their office, 
and be made partakers of their privileges; and 
3. That they may be reserved to mercy and for- 
giveness at last. And what happened to a whole 
nation of traitors, might happen to an individual 
of that nation; and vice versa. 

Friend. This is a subject of great import- 
ance, and if you can maintain the system you 
have espoused, and answer the remaining objec- 
tions that may be brought against it, it will most 
certainly give me pleasure, and relieve my mind 
from great anxiety. I am a father of many 
children, and God knows the tears I have shed 
on their account, but could I receive your views 
with what pleasure should I look upon them I 

But I have many remaining difficulties and 
objections still to propose; may God preserve 
me from error and false doctrine, I wish to know 
what is really the truth in this matter, for above 
all things I dread deception. 

Minister. I assure you my friend that I should 
be as loth to deceive you as you are to be de- 
ceived, and had I not the surest confidence 
through the Lord of the truth and reality of this 
most glorious system, and did I not find the high- 
est satisfaction in it myself, I should never pre- 
sume to hold it forth to others. But as I have 
an engagement that calls me elsewhere just now, 
I must beg you to excuse me, hoping that in a 
little time I shall have another opportunity of 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 147 



hearing the remainder of your objections; and 
in the mean time I advise you to search the 
scriptures^ and pray God to lead you into all 
truth. 

END OF THE SECOND DlALOGUjE. 



DIALOGUE III- 



Friend. 1 am glad to meet with you, to have 
some farther conversation upon the very import- 
ant and interesting subject of the final Restora- 
tion. Since I saw you last I have had oppor- 
tunity of hearing some very capital objections 
made against this system, which I beg leave to 
state in the plainest and strongest manner. 

Minister. Your frankness is well pleasing to 
me, and I am ready to hear whatever can be urg- 
ed against my sentiments, and will do my en- 
deavour to answer all reasonable objections; 
therefore propose them as soon as you think 
proper. 

Friend. One grand objection that is very 
generally made against the doctrine of the Res- 
toration, is, that it tends to licentiousness ; that it 
is the doctrine that the serpent preached to Eve ; 
for we read, (Gen. iii. 4.) "And the serpent said 
unto the woman, ye shall not surely die;" and 
that it is a doctrine calculated to give encour- 
agement to the wicked to continue in their evil 
ways; that it is "saying, peace, peace, when 
there is no peace;" and that this doctrine is as 
dangerous as that of the wicked prophetesses of 
EzekiePs time, of whom God says, "With lies 
ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, 
whom I have not made sad; and strengthened 
the hands of the wicked, that he should not re- 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 149 



turn from his wicked way, by promising him life 
They say unto them that despise me, Jehovah' 
hath said, ye shall have peace; and they say un- 
to every one that walketh after the imagination 
of his owft heart, no evil shall come upon you.'' 
Jer. viii. 11. Ezek. xiii. 22. Jer. xxiii. 17. 

It is said that it is the nature of God to lay the 
highest possible restraint upon sin, and, there- 
fore, he has threatened it with eternal, or endless 
punishment; and this is even found too weak to 
prevent the prevailing iniquity. What a flood 
of impiety, therefore, would overflow the world, 
if it should be generally believed, that after some 
ages of suffering, mankind should be restored to 
some degree of happiness? Would not the res- 
traints be wholly taken off from the lusts and 
passions of the wicked, if once this doctrine 
should become prevalent ? Will you be so kind 
as to give a fair and candid reply to this objec- 
tion ? 

Minister. This objection is stated with all 
possible force, I shall, therefore, endeavor to an- 
swer it as well as I can ; putting in this caveat, that 
if I shall not answer it to your satisfaction, do 
not imagine that no solid answer can be given; 
but impute it to my not being sufficiently master 
of my subject, or not being able to express my 
mind so clearly as I could wish. As this objec- 
tion is frequently made, and often used, by peo- 
ple who mean well, but have not considered the 
subject thoroughly, I shall be as explicit as I 
possibly can upon it. 

I would first observe, that the great truths, or 
first principles, upon which the Restoration is 
founded, and from which it is derived by natural 
13* 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



and easy consequences, are far from tending to 
licentiousness. But in order to make this evi- 
dent, it will be proper here to set them down in 
their order. 

First principles upon ivhich the Doctrine of the Fi- 
nal and Universal Restoration is founded. 

1. God is the universal and only Creator of all; 
contrary to the opinion of the Manichees of old, 
who believed the devil to be creator of most, if 
not all visible beings. The Miigletonians, of the 
last century, and the Buchanites lately, assert 
nearly the same sentiments; contrary to Rev. 
iv. 11. Col. i. 16. Psalm c. 3. Numb. xvi. 22. 
Isaiah Ixiv. 8. Ezek. xviii. 4. Zech. xii. 1. and 
a vast number of other scriptures. 

Now who can say, that this noble thought, 
which St. Paul enlarges upon so beautifully, 
(Acts, xvii. 24-30) tends, in the least, to make 
men wicked? Does it not tend to dignify and 
ennoble human nature, to be told, that God is 
our Father, Creator and First Cause; and that 
w^e were made by his power, according to his 
will, and for his pleasure; and that the chief end 
for which he made us, was, to glcrfy his namej 
and enjoy him forever 1 — as the Assembly's Cat- 
echism beautifully declares. This is one of the 
principles from which God himself deduces the 
certainty of the final end of wrath^ as I have ob- 
served before: — " For I will not contend forev-. 
er, neither will I be always wroth; for the spirit 
should fail before me, and the souls which I have 
made." Isaiah, Ivii. 16.- — Those who venture to 
contradict their Maker, and say, that he he will 



I 

! UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 151 

contend forever, and be always wroth I ought to be 
able at least to give as good a reason why he 
will, as he has assigned why he will not; and 
consequently prove, that he hath not made all 
souls; which is the true foundation upon which 
endless misery must be founded, and the only 
doctrine which is perfectly consistent with it. 

The poor untutored Indians in America, ar- 
gued (with a missionary that was sent from Swe- 
den to convert them) from the universal provi- 
dence of God, that he, who was so kind a Fath- 
er as to provide for their bodies all things need- 
ful, had not wholly negle<;ted their souls. But 
this I do not insist upon, though, I think, the ar- 
gument has weight in it; and certainly, the prov- 
idential goodness of God, and his long suffering, 
tends to lead men to repentance. Rom. ii. 4. 2 
Pet. iii. 9. 

2. The universal benevolence of the Deity, or 
the love of God to his creatures, is one of the 
first principles from which the general Restora- 
tion is deduced: and who can say, that this leads 
to licentiousness? If those who beheve that 
God loves them, in particular, find that consider- 
ation the strongest obligation on them to love him 
again, and to obey his will; by the same rule, if 
all the individuals of the whole human race, 
were to believe that God loved each one of 
them, would not the same cause produce the 
same effect.^ And if so, can this be charged as 
a licentious doctrine, which is expressly ground- 
ed upon a cause which powerfully operates to 
produce holiness? Is there any thing like ar- 
gument in this reasoning? I know that God 
loves me, and seeks to do me good; therefore, I 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



must hate him. What should we think of a wo- 
man who should leave her husband; and do all 
in her power against him, and should be able to 
give no better reason for it than the following: 
''My husband loves me, and I know it, and he 
has always loved me, and always will; and there- 
fore I am determined to hate, ridicule, despise, 
and contemn him, and have left him for this very 
cause, and am determined never to love or obey 
him more." Bad as human nature is, I question 
whether such instances often occur. We com- 
monly say, that love begets love. " We love 
him because he first loved us;" says the apostle, 
1 John, iv. 19. Therefore, the doctrine of God's 
universal benevolence, cannot lead to licentious- 
ness, in any light in which it can be viewed; for, 
if he really loves us, he will do all in his power 
to bring us to love him again, and to be like him; 
and I am sure the consideration of his love to 
us, goes as far as moral persuasion can go, to 
induce us to love him again, nay, the belief of 
it is acknowledged to be one of the strongest 
motives to obedience; and the love of God, shed 
abroad in the heart, produces the best effects, 
and is the most powerful principle, and spring, 
of good and virtuous actions, that we are ac- 
quainted with. This being a first principle, 
from which the universal Restoration is conclu- 
ded, we are happy to find, that "God is love:" 
and that he " so loved the world, as to give his 
only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in 
him, should not perish, but have everlasting life: 
For, God sent not his Son into the world to con- 
demn the world; but that the world, through 
him might be saved." See 1 John, iv. 16. St. 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 



153 



John, iii. 16, 17. But it is not so much my 
business now to shew, that the sentiment is 
scriptural, as to shew that it is not of a danger- 
ous tendency. The following words, however, 
are so beautiful, that I take the liberty to men- 
tion them: — '^but thou hast mercy upon all; for 
thou canst do all things, and winkest at the sins 
of men, because they should amend. For thou 
lovest ail the things that are, and abhorrest noth- 
ing which thou hast made; for never wouldest 
thou have made any thing, if thou hadst hated 
it. And how could any thing have endured, if 
it had not been thy will; or been preserved, if not 
called by thee? But thou sparest all; for they 
are thine, O Lord, thou lover of souls. For 
thine incorruptible Spirit is in all things: there- 
fore chasteneth thou them, by little and little, 
that offend, and warnest them, by putting them 
in remembrance wherein they have offended, 
that leaving their wickedness, they may believe 
on thee, O Lord. For thy power is the begin- 
ning of righteousness; and because thou art the 
Lord of all, it maketh thee to be gracious unto 
all. But thou, O God, art gracious and true; 
long suffering, and in mercy ordering all things. 
For if we sin, we are thine, knowing thy power; 
but we will not sin, knowing that we are count- 
ed thine:" Wisdom of Solomon, xi. 23, 26. xii. 
1,2, 16. XV. 1,2. ''Jehovah is gracious and 
full of compassion, slow to anger and of great 
mer,cy. Jehovah is good to all; and his tender 
mercies are over all his works. All thy works 
shall praise thee, O Jehovah; and thy saints 
shall blfess thee." Psal. cxlv. 8, 9, 10, 



154 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



3. Another great principle upon which the 
Restoration depends, is, that Christ died for all; 
^' We see Jesus, who w^as made a little lov/er 
than the angels, for the suffering of death, 
crowned with glory and honor; that he, by the 
grace of God, should taste death for every man." 
(or all) Heb. ii. 9. If any man sin we have 
an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the 
righteous. And he is the propitiation for our 
sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins 
of the whole, world." 1 John, ii. 1, 2. For 
there is one God, and one Mediator between God 
and men, the Man Christ Jesus; w'ho gave him- 
self a ransom for all, to he testified in due time." 
1 Tim. ii. 5, 6. 

I need not multiply passages to prove that 
Christ died for all; for though the universality 
of his death is not expressly asserted, in every 
text where it is mentioned that he died, it must 
always be understood; because it is never deni- 
ed in any place, and is plainly, and pointedly de- 
clared in those I have quoted. And, besides, it 
is evident that in the apostles' time, the univer- 
sality of the death of Christ w^as a first princi- 
ple, universally acknowledged, and therefore, 
St. Paul reasons from it as such; w^hich it would 
have been highly preposterous for him to do, if 
that had not been the case: as, for example, 
For the love of Christ constraineth us; be- 
cause we thus judge, that if one died for all," 
(which is not disputed by any, and which we 
know to be a truth) then were all dead: and 
that he died for all; that they who live, should 
not henceforth Hve unto themselves, but unto 
him that died for them, and rose again." 2 Cor. 
V. 14, 15. 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 



155 



Friend. Kut have you never heard it argued 
that Christ did not die for all, because he did not 
pray for ail?. 

Minister. I remember, when a lad, I was 
sent to a neighbor's house, and overheard the ^ 
good man, the master of the family, read in a 
book after this manner: Christ did not die for 
all, because he did not pray for all; I pray for 
them; I pray not for the world, but for them 
which thou hast given me, for they are thine." 
St. John, xvii. 9. And 1 then thought the argu- 
ment conclusive; but I am now at a loss wheth- 
er the author of that book meant to deceive|his 
readers; or, whether he had never read the 
chapter through critically. For had he read the 
20th verse, he would have found these words, 
which would have overthrown his hypothesis: — 
^' Neither pray I for these alone; but for them 
also, who shall believe on me through their 
word." If Christ had prayed for all, in the 9th 
verse, for whom he died, he could not have en- 
larged his prayer so much in the 2Gth verse, as 
to take in not them only, but all who should be- 
lieve on him through their word. Neither does 
he stop here, but goes on to pray for those that 
believe in these words: That they all may be 
one; as thou. Father art in me, and I in thee: 
that they also may be one in us:" — And why is 
all this unity prayed for among unbelievers? 
Surely, it hath never been accomplished; but it 
shall be, for this great and admirable purpose: 
viz. ^' That the world may believe that thou hast 
*ent me. And the glory which thou gavest me, 
I have given them; that they may be one, even 
as we are one; I in them and thou in me; that 



156 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



they may be made perfect in one, and that the 
world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast 
loved them, as thou hast loved me." y. 21, 22, 23, 

Friend, But when shall the world believe, 
and know that Christ is sent from God ? 

Minister. When all that believe shall be one, 
as the Father and Son are one. When the 
great marriage of the Lamb shall be celebrated, 
and his bride shall be one, in the bond of uni- 
versal love and fellowship, as the Father and 
Son now are: when the church shall be perfect- 
ed in one; shall dwell in love, and dwell in God, 
as the Father dwells in the Son, and the Son in 
the Father: v/hen Zion's watchmen shall see 
eye to eye: when all believers shall speak the 
same thing; when there shall be no more divis- 
ions among them; when they shall be perfect- 
ly joined together in the same mind, and in the 
same judgment. 

This was the state that St. Paul besought the 
Corinthians to press after, and wished them to 
attain; but he had the mortification to see them 
fall short of it, as all the Christian churches 
have, from that day to this. But when Chrisi 
shall give that glory and honor to his bride, 
which the Father gave to him, and shall thus 
unite her to himself, in an indissoltable union, 
and the several members of his body the Church, 
shall be as much united one to another, as the 
members af the natural body are; or, to express 
it in his ov/n words, ''As thou. Father,, art in wie, 
and / in //iee." When thus the church shall be 
one, in spirit^ love, design, judgement, &c. as the 
Father and Son are; then shall the n^orld be- 
lieve, and believing, have life; then shall the 



UiNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 



157 



world know him, whom to know is life eternal. 
See verses 2 and 3. But as this great cause 
has never yet existed, the effect has not yet fol- 
lowed; but when the first shall be, the last shall 
take place in consequence. 

The petitions in that most excellent prayer^ 
that may, with great propriety be called the 
Lord's prayer, may be divided into four classes. 
1. For himself, verses 1st and 5th. 2. For his 
apostles, 9, 19. 3. For them that should believe 
through their word, 20, 21, 22, 23. And 4. for 
the world, verses 21, 23: as I have just observ- 
ed, and need not add any more upon so plain a 
matter. 

Friend. Proceed, if you please, to show, that 
the doctrine of the universality of the death of 
Christ does not lead to licentiousness. 

Minister. It is evident that it doth not; but 
on the contrary, it is the strongest motive to all 
who believe it, to love and live to him who died 
for them, and rose again. We are not our oivn^ 
but are bought with a price; therefore, we are 
exerted not to be the servants of sin, slaves to 
our passions, and servants to men; but to glori- 
fy God in our bodies and spirits, which are his; 
and the apostle beseeches us by the mercies of 
God, to present our bodies a living sacrifice, 
holy, acceptable unto God; which is our reason- 
able service. Forasmuch, as we know that we 
were not redeemed with corruptible things, as sil- 
ver & gold; but with the precious blood of Christy 
as of a Lamb without blemish, and without spot. 
See 2 Cor. v. 15. Rom. vi. 12, 13. 1 Cor. vii. 
23. vi. 19,20. Rom. xii. I. 1 Pet. i. 13, 19. 
14 



153 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



What a liorrid thought would it be, that Chnsi 
should be the minister of sin, and that his blood- 
shedding should cause wicxkedness to abound! 
The love of God in giving his Son to die, is 
enough to move a heart of stone. ^^For when 
w^e were yet without strength, in due time, Christ 
died for the ungodly, for, scarcely for a righteous 
man will one die; yet peradventure, for a good 
(kind, benevolent, generous) man some ^vould 
even dare to die. But God commendeth his 
love towards us, in that, while we were yet sin- 
ners, Christ died for us. Much more being now 
justified through his blood, w^e shall be saved 
from wrath through him. For if when we were 
enemies, we were reconciled to God by the 
death of his Son] much more, being reconciled, 
we shall be saved by his life." Rom. v. 6, 10. 

Here the death of the Lor^d Jesus is laid as 
the ground and the salvation of men inferred 
trom it, wth the greatest possible certainty; yet, 
Vv'iil any one say, that because Christ hath died 
for him, therefore he Vvill indulge himself in sin? 
God forbid. Some say that if they believed 
this doctrine, they v»'Ouid hve in sin; and in- 
dulge themselves in their lusts and passions: 
but then it may be observed, that those who say 
so are its enemies, and those who oppose the 
view, and not those v.ho receive it. 

There is something so brutish and unaccount- 
able in such dispositions, as would lead men to 
hate their best friends, merely because they are 
so; that would lead them to liate God, because 
he loved them; despise Christy merely be- 
cause he died for them; that for the honor 
of human nature, I would hope these instan- 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION, 



159 



ces are rare. But to the point ; I have conversed 
with many who foeUeve that Christ died for them 
in particular; and yet I never heard them say, 
that they hated him for it; but, on the contrary, 
that they foved him exceedingly. Now, is not 
the same cause likely to produce the same ef- 
fect? If a thousand persons, for instance, all be- 
lieving that Christ died for them, find their hearts 
constrained to love him for it, would it not have 
the same effect upon ten thousand, ten millions, 
or ten millions of millions? — And if it v/culd 
cause hcentiousness to abound in the world, to 
preach that Christ died for ail, if it was univer- 
Bally believed; by the same rule it must cause 
it to prevail, in a lesser degree, to preach that he 
died for a small part, at least, among those who 
believe themselves to be of the number; and, 
therefore, it must not be preached at all, that he 
died for any ? — Who can deny the consequence ? 
It seems to be evident, that Christ has done and 
suffered too much for those that he died for, to 
lose them finally; and thus the universal Res- 
toration stands connected necessarily with the 
universality of the death of Christy and is dedu- 
ced therefrom, in the eaisest manner; therefore, 
the doctrine of the/onner cannot tend to licen- 
tiousness, as it stands upon the ground of the 
latter^ which hath been demonstrated to have no 
such tendency. 

4. Another principle upon wbich the univer- 
sal doctrine depends, is, the imchangeahleness of 
God: whom he loves once, he also loves; he 
loved his creatures when he made them, as none 
can well deny; their sins he never loved,.nor ever 
will; he hath declared, that he loved u& when 



160 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



sinners, but never as sinners. His eternal and 
constant hatred of all sin, and his unchangeable 
love of all his creatures, are of the nature of 
primary truths from which the doctrine of the 
general Restoration maj be~ easily and plainly 
inferred. In this view we may understand those 
many dreadful threatenings and gracious promis- 
es, made to the same people and persons: both 
shall be fulfilled; the first, while they continue 
as rebels, which are designed to humble and 
subdue them; the last, when they shall have 
accepted of the punishment of their iniquity; 
when their uncircumcised hearts are humble, 
when their stubborn knees shall bow to Jeho- 
VAH, and their former rebellious tongues shall 
swear allegiance to him. 

Does this idea lead to licentiousness, that God 
hates sin, and determines to pursue it to entire 
destruction, and never to put up his sword so 
long as there is a rebel in the universe; yet, at 
the same time, has no positive hatred to the 
souls which he has made, but only wishes them 
to return to order? — This idea appears to me, 
equally to check presumption and despair; and 
tends to put an end to licentiousness, rather than 
to encourage it: for if rebels are assured that 
their rightful sovereign hates them, and will never 
suifer them to be reconciled to hinr, it naturally 
causes them to fight with tenfold rage, as all 
warriors will testify: as on the other hand if 
they believe he is too weak, or undetermined, to 
conquer them, they will be presumptuous, and 
continue the war. It cannot, therefore, be af- 
firmed, by any person of reason, that the dec- 
laration that God will destroy sin tends to pro- 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 



161 



mote it; or, that his love of order, and hatred of 
evil, being compatible with his love to the crea- 
tures he has made, is a doctrine that encoura- 
ges men to rebel; the contrary is evident; and 
yet these are the very grounds of the Univer- 
sal Restoration; which cannot therefore be li- 
centious. 

5. Ajiother of the first principles of the Resto- 
ration is, the immutabilihj of God?s counsels; which 
he hath confirmed by an oath, ''That by two 
immutable things {viz. his word and oath) in 
which it was impossible for God to lie, wx might 
have a strong consolation, who have fled for ref- 
uge, to lay hold upon the hope set before us." 
Heb vi. 17, 18. ''God hath abounded towards 
us in all v/isdom and prudence, having made 
known unto us the mystery of his will, accord- 
ing to his good pleasure which he hath purposed 
in himself. That in the dispensation of the ful- 
ness of times, he might gather together {or re- 
head) in one, all things in Chrisl, both which are 
in heaven, and which are on earth even in him; 
in whom we have obtained an inheritance, being 
predestined according to the purpose of him 
who v/orketh all ihin9:s according to the counsel 
of his own will." Ephes i. 8, 9, 10, 1 1. God is 
our Saviour (or Soteros^ Restorer) who will have 
nil men to be saved, {sothenai^ restored) and to 
come unto the knowledge of the truth." 1 Tim. 
ii. 3, 4. This is the will and counsel of that God, 
who "Doth according to his will in the armies of 
heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; 
and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, 
what doest thou ?" Dan. iv. 35. He hath sworn 
by himself, the vvord is gone out of his moutli in 
14^ 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



righteousness, and shall not return, that unto 
him " every knee shall bow, every tongue shall 
swear." Isaiah, xlv. 23. The counsel of Goo 
shall stand; he will perform his pleasure, notwith- 
standing all the opposition that men can make; 
God is not a man, that he should lie, neither the 
son of man, that he should repent. Hath he 
said, and shall he not do it? or, hath he spoken, 
and shall he not make it good?" Numb, xxiii. 19. 
If God will have all men to be saved restored, 
and to come to the knowledge of the truth, if it is 
his good pleasure which he hath purposed in him- 
self, in the dispensation of the fulness of times^ 
to rehead all things in Christ, both in heaven 
and on earth; if he hath sworn that unto him 
every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall 
swear; and if he worketh all things after 
the counsel of his own will, and is determined 
to perform all his pleasure, which he is able to 
do; and with him nothing that he pleases is 
impossible. I say if all these things are true, (as 
who, that believes the Scriptures, can deny;) 
then, is not the doctrine of the Restoration true? 
And who will venture to^^charge that with licen- 
tiousness, which God, in the counsel of his will 
hath purposed, and is determined to perform? 
We know, that the will of God is a v» ill to all 
goodness, and that he cannot do any thing un- 
just or contrary to his holy nature, or incon- 
sistent with his plan of moral government, or 
that shall tend to promote rebellion; therefore, if 
God had seen that this great work had been, in 
any respect injurious to his perfections, char- 
acter, government, &lc. he would not have pro- 
posed it; and if he had foreseen that the knowl- 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 16$ 



edge of it would have been hurtful to mankind, 

/he would not have revealed it: but since he hath 
done both, we may certainly argue that it is 
not a licentious doctrine to declare, that God 
will finally make all his intelHgent creatures 
happy; by making them all his subjects, by de- 
stroying their sins, and making them holy, in a 
way perfectly consistent with all his perfections 
and attributes; without doing the least injury to 

:his character, or rendering his moral government 
weak, or making any of his words void, wheth- 
er threatenings or promises, or in the least setting 
aside the sanctions of his law or gospel, or a fu- 
ture state of rewards and punishments; without 

-derogating at all from the glory of the Mediator, 
hut rather exalting it to the highest possible 
pitch without saddening the hearts of the right- 
eous, or diminishing in the least, from the hap- 
piness of Heaven, but rather causing it to in- 
crease; for if there is joy -in Heaven over one 
sinner that repenteth, there must be more over 
many, in exact proportion; and as God will cer- 
tainly give greater possible joy to his chosen, &. 
there is no doubt but it will receive addition from 
every one that is restored, or brought home to 
himself; therefore, it can only be brought to its 

^highest possible pitch by the universal Restora- 
tion; which doctrine cannot, therefore, be licen- 
tious, as God has appointed and revealed it, and 
all holy beings (except some weak good men 
on earth) rejoice therein exceedingly. 

6. Another of the principles on which the 
general Restoration is founded is, that God hath 
given all things into the hand of Christy who hath 
declared, that it is the Father's will, that of all 



164 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



that he gave him he should lose nothing; and that 
power was given him over all, that he should 
give the knowledge of God, even eternal life, to 
all that the Father had given hin:i; and that a//, 
without exception, whom the Father hath given, 
shall come in such a manner as not to be cast 
out: But as all these scriptures have been recit- 
ed, and reasoned upon before, I shall only now 
observe that as God the Father hath given all 
things to Christ, and as he hath engaged to 
bring all back, without exception, and hath both 
?ri// and j)ou'e?' to perform this v/ork, and came 
into the world on purpose to accomplish it, it 
must of consequence, be fmaliy performed; yet 
it cannot tend to licentiousness, or the God of 
Heaven, and the Lord Jesus Christ, would nev- 
er have planned it, approved it, or sought to ex- 
ecute it. 

Many more first principles, on which the doc- 
trine of the Restoration is founded, m.ight be 
mentioned, and shev*'n to be. far from tending to 
licentiousness. But I shall mention but one 
more; and that is — The Scriptures must be ful- 
filled; the Sciptures cannot he broken: i^^one of 
the words of God can fail of being accomplished; 
and he hath not only denounced dreadful threat- 
en! ngs, but made many gracious promises to the 
same people. These cannot be fulfilled togeth- 
er; — and if there is no truth in the Restora- 
tion, I cannot see how the latter v/ill ever be ful 
filled at all; and if sins are not punished in the 
persons vmo commit them, lam equally at a loss 
what sense or truth there can be in the former. 
It would be a great task to collect all the texts 
which justify remark, that threatenings and prom- 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION, 



166 



ises belong to the same people in different peri- 
ods, some specimens of which have been given 
in the course of these dialogues. Now, it can- 
not lead to licentiousness, to suppose that the 
Scriptures shall all be fulfilled; but it must lead 
to infidelity, and all kinds of evil to suppose the 
contrary. 

These are the first principles upon which the 
doctrine of the Restoration stands, and by which 
it is supported; and as these have all been 
considered, and proved to have no tendency 
to encourage sin, separately, much less can they 
have any such tendency, jointly; and then it ev- 
idently follows, that a doctrine which seems ne- 
cessarily deduced, or inferred by undeniable con- 
sequences, from all these considerations united, 
cannot be false, or have any evil tendency. 

But I shall next proceed to shew, that all true, 
experimental, and practical rehgion, seems so 
consistent with the universal Resioraiion^ that it 
may be reconed a wonder, that all who have 
tasted that the Lord is gracious, and have dili- 
gently practised his commands, have not in all 
ages been fully convinced of the truth of it. 

Friend. Is it possible that you can do this ? 
If so, I hope your reasoning v/illbe attended to; 
and I must confess, that you have cleared your 
way so well, by considering the first princi- 
ples of the doctrine, and shewing that they are 
very far from tending to licentiousness, that I am 
half inclined to think you will be able to answer 
this objection, formidable as it has been consid- 
ered hitherto. 

Minister. As I trust you have been made ac- 
tjuainted with experimental religion, I need only 
appeal to your own experience, for the truth of 



166 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



what I advance; and I am apt to think, if you 
will answer me candidly, to a few questions, you 
must acknowledge either that the Restoration is 
true, or that your experience is false. 

Friend. I am willing to give you as plain and 
candid answers as I can; for it will be of no use 
to deny what the Lord has done for my soul. 

Minister. Let me then ask you in the first 
place, did you not see yourself lost and undone; 
and that you were vile i3efore God, unworthy of 
his mercy, and totally unable to deliver yourself 
from your sin and misery? 

Friend. I certainly did; and I was some- 
times ready to think there was hardly such a 
sinner on earth as myself, all circumstances con- 
sidered; for I had sinned against such light and 
love, that I thought all the world might be for- 
given sooner than myself 

Minister. And v.-ere you not brought by the 
power of God, to resign yourself into his hands, 
without reserve, to do with you, and dispose of 
you, according to his will and pleasure; being 
convinced, that he neither would nor could do 
you any injustice? 

Friend. O yes; and then I found peace; my 
rebellion against God ceased; I looked upon 
him quite differently from what I did before; I 
saw that he was wholly right and just, and that 
I was entirely to blame. ]Nly murmurings agai nst 
him ceased; I viewed him as such a holy, good, 
merciful, and yet righteous God, that I could 
trust my soul in his hands, with the most entire 
satisfaction. 

Minister. And when Christ was revealed to 
you as a Saviour^ how did he appear? 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 



167 



Friend, As one able and mighty to save^ 
even to the uttermost; and I thought there was 
not only a sufficiency in him for me, the vilest of 
all, but for the v^hole v^orld, yea for a thousand 
worlds, had there been so many. His blood 
seemed to me so precious, his obedience and suf- 
ferings so meritorious, his power so great, his 
love so rich, boundless and free, that I was over- 
come with the transporting view. And as I saw 
. in him a fullness for all, so I found in him an in- 
finite willingness to save all: for how could I 
think^otherwise ? I knew myself to be most un- 
worthy, and that he had graciously pitied me: I 
beheld his love, like a river, flowing down to me 
as free as water; and I was amazed that I had 
not beheld it before, in the same light. J saw 
that the love of God to me, did not now begiji^ 
but was now manifested to my soul. I saw that 
there was no change in God, but all in myself 
These words were pecious to my heart at that 
time. ^'Yea, I have loved thee with an ever- 
lasting love; — therefore with loving kindness 
have I drawn thee." Jer. xxxi. 3. As also 
these; "Son be of good cheer; thy sins be for- 
given thee.'^ St. Matth. ix. 2. 

Minister. You have brought my own exper- 
ience to my mind: it pleased God, by an inci- 
dent too trifling to mention, to bring me to seek 
earnestly for an unfading treasure; and by a 
train of circumstances, flxed the concern deep- 
lyupon my mind; and I labored night and day^ 
but could obtain no rest, till one morning — a 
time never to be forgotten !— as I was walking 
on a journey, under great distress, and when 
deliverance seemed farther from me than ever^ 



168 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



all at once I was brought to resign my soul into 
the hands of God, and thus I expressed myself: 
^^Lord, here I am: a poor helpless sinner: I 
resign myself into thine hands; take me, and deal 
with me just as thou pleasest. I know thou canst 
do me no injustice." Immediately these words 
came into my mind, with great power and sweet- 
ness. ''In an acceptable time have I heard thee; 
and in a day of salvation have I helped thee." 
Is^. xlix. 8. and I had then such a view of 
Christ, as to make me cry out ''Glory to God 
in the highest! This is salvation; I know this is 
salvation!" Then those passages which you. 
have mentioned, came into my mind with great 
energy; and I saw the fulness, sufficiency, and 
willingness of Christ to save me and all men, 
in such a manner as constrained me to venture 
my soul into his arms; and if I had ten thousand 
souls, I could have trusted them all in his hands. 
And O how did I long, that every soul of Ad- 
am's race might come to know the love of God 
in Christ Jesus! And I thought I could not be 
willing to live any longer on earth, unless it 
might please God to make me useful to my fel- 
low creatures. 

What peaceful hours I then enjoyed I 
" How sweet their memory still ! 
" Bnt they have left an aching void 
" The world can never fill." 

This is a little abstract of what God did then 
graciously teach me by his Spirit; but I had 
been brought up in that particular system and in 
the course of a few years came to be so firmly 
attached to it, as to refuse, in my preaching, to 
make general invitations to mankind at large; 



! UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 169 

I rightly reasoning with myself, that if provision 
!! ' was only made for a small part, I had no war- 
I rant to call or invite the whole to come and par- 
take; and therefore only pressed the duty on 
1 such and such characters, as hungry, thirsty, ivea- 
ry, heavy laden^ such as were without money j 
sensible sinners, &c. all of which I concluded to 
be of the elect, because I judged the Spirit had 
! begun to operate savingly upon their hearts; 
and that to these, and these only, the Scriptures 
directed invitations to be made; never consider- 
ing that text— Hearken unto me, ye stout 
hearted, that are far from righteousness. I 
bring near my righteousness; and it shall not be 
far off, and my salvation shall not tarry." Isa. 
xlvi. 12, 13. During the time that I remained 
in this close hearted system, laboring with all my 
might to maintain it, I chanced to come to a 
house where, as far as I can judge, was a very 
sensible and pious young woman, whom I never 
saw before or since. She gave a very judicious 
account of the work of grace upon her heart; 
but when she came to that part, where she said 
she beheld an infinite fulness in Christ for all 
the world, l interrupted her, and told her, that 
could not be; for there was no provision made 
for all, and therefore it was impossible that she 
could have any such discoveries made to her by 
the Spirit of God. This I insisted upon, accord- 
ing to my system, contrary to my experimental 
knowledge; (O the mischiefs of bigotry, preju- 
dice, and vain attachment to system !) she, on the 
contrary, maintained, that she clearly viewed 
matters in that light; and that she certainly was 
taught to believe, that inChrist there was a fulness 
15 



170 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



St freeness for all. This I denied ; k she was there- 
by prevented from finishing what she had begun. 
I can never forgive myself, for the opposition I 
made to what I knew to be truth by experience; 
and as I did not inquire the name of the person, 
I have had no opportunity of making a recanta- 
tion by letter, as I ought to have done; and hav- 
ing never been in the place since, and it being 
highly improbable that ever I shall again, I feel 
myself extremely hurt, whenever I think of it. 

Fnend, I can but admire the agreement be- 
tween us in matters of experience; for I found 
the same dispositions of mind that you mention- 
ed, when it pleased God to reveal his Son in me. 

Minister, 1 never found an experienced 
Christian in my life, but would give much the 
same account, provided that his system was not 
in sight; and I have found some, that though 
they were violently attached to tlie contrary 
system, and knew my intention in asking the 
questions; yet answered the following affirma- 
tively. 

Did you not see and feel yourselves the vilest 
of smners? 

Did you not view the love of God infinitely 
full, free and unmerited? 

Did you not behold in Christ an infinite ful- 
ness, sufficiency and willingness, to save all, 
without exception. 

Did you not love all, and wish all might come 
and partake of his grace ? 

Did you not earnestly desire the salvation of 
all, not only of your family, friends, neighbors 
and nation; but also of your enemies, and of all 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 



17] 



mankind? — ^Could not you embrace the whole 
human race in the arms of benevolence? 

Did you not find it in your heart to pray for 
the salvation of all mankind, as for your own? 

If you had as much power as good v/il], would 
you not bring all to bow to the sceptre of grace, 
and to be reconciled to God through Jesus 
Christl 

Friend. I do not see hov/ an experienced, 
person can refuse to say yes, to all these ques- 
tions; they are so agreeable to the very tempers 
of the new born soul; and, I am sure, I found 
them in my heart, at the very time when I first 
tasted of the love of God. 

Minister. Well then, my friend, let me ask 
you, from whence did these tempers and dispo- 
sitions proceed? 

Friend. To be candid, I think they were 
given me from above, and came down from the 
Father of lights, from whence, every good and 
perfect gift cometh; and I am the more apt to 
think so, because I found contrary dispositions 
in my heart before; and the more I am sensible 
of the forgiving love of God, the more I find 
these afiections which you have described, and 
these desires for the good of others. 

Minister. Then let me ask you, can a small 
drop be larger than the unfathomed abyss, and 
ocean of love? Have you more compassion to- 
wards your fellow creatures than the God that 
made them ? Can any effect be greater than its 
cause? Would you bring all to submit to God, 
and be happy, if you could? And will not he, 
to whom nothing that he pleases to do is impos- 
eible, bring all his creatures to be reconciled to 



172 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



himself at last ? He has infinitely more love to 
his creatures, than all the saints and angels in 
glory have; he is possessed of infinite power 
and wisdom, as well as love; all means to ac- 
complish the work are known to him; he can do 
it in a way that shall cause his praise to abound 
exceedingly, in a way perfectly consistent with 
all his perfections, and the whole of his glorious 
character; it is his will and purpose so to do, as 
lias been proved at large. What, then, can hin- 
der him from fulfilling it ? 

Friend. I am not able to gainsay this reason- 
ing; it seems almost undeniable. But can you 
shew that the doctrine of the Restoration stands 
connected with practical religion, or the keep- 
ing of the commandments of God ? 

Minister, I can very easily do that, in every 
instance; but shall only attend to the following, 
as a specimen. 

1. Our Lord has commanded us to love all 
mankind; not our brethren and friends only, but 
even our greatest enemies; and all for this pur- 
pose, that we may be the children of our Father 
who is in Heaven, whose love is universal, and 
whose tender mercies are over all his works: 
See St. Matth. v. 44, 48. St. Luke, vi. 27, 36. 
But if God doth not love all himself, Christ hath 
commanded us to be more perfect^ in that respect, 
than our Father, who is in Heaven; v/hich to 
suppose, is highly absurd. What shall we say 
to that doctrine that teaches us, that God bates 
with a perfect hatred, many of those whom he 
hath commanded us to love as ourselves? 

Therefore, there is nothing in the doctrine of 
the Restoration, contrary to the love of our 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 



173 



neighbor; which on the contrary is promoted 
thereby. 

2. We are commanded to do good to all meiij 
as we have opportunity. This is recommended 
to us by the example of our heavenly Father, 
who maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on 
the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the 
unjust; and no person can say, that the behef of 
this doctrine tends, in the least, to hinder us from 
doing good to our fellow creatures; but rather 
encourages us so to do, from the consideration 
that God loves them all, and does good to all, 
and is determined to make them all the subjects 
of his kingdom at last. 

3. We are commanded to forgive all men their 
trespasses^ and to pray, saying, ''Forgive us our 
(debts, or) trespasses, as we forgive (our debtors, 
or) them that trespass against us;" St. Matth. 
vi. 12. St. Luke, xi. 4. And our Lord says, 
"For, if ye forgive men their trespasses, your 
heavenly Father will also forgive you: but if 
ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will 
your Father forgive your trespasses;" St. Matth. 
vi. 14, 15. See also, xviii. 21, 35. St. Mark, 
xi. 25, 26. St. Luke, vi. 37. 

Now, is it possible to suppose, with any de- 
gree of reason, that our Lord would command 
us, upon pain of his highest displeasure, to for- 
give those whom he hated, and determined to 
punish while he should exist, without having 
the least desire or design to do them good ? Has 
he promised us the greatest blessings, if we will 
forgive all men; and v^ill he never forgive them? 
He that can believe this, let him believe ti. 
However, since forgiving all men is a plain com- 
15* 



174 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



mand, ^hich none can deny; I trust, no one 
will venture to say, that believing the final Res- 
jtoration of all men, at last, will have any ten- 
dency to make us break this precept of our Sav- 
iour's, upon which he lays so much stress; but, 
I think, the contrary is evident. 

4. We are commanded to pray for all men. 
St. Paul says, " I exhort, therefore, that, first of 
all supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giv- 
ing of thanks, be made for all men; for this is 
good and acceptable in the sight of God, or Sav- 
iour (or Restorer) who will have all men to be 
saved (or Restored) and to come unto the knowl- 
edge of the truth. For there is one God, and 
one Mediator between God and men, the man 
Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all, 
to be testified in due time," This is the great 
doctrine of the Gospel, the very foundation of 
Christianity: — W hereunto I am ordained a 
preacher, and an apostle; (I speak the truth in 
Christ, and lie not) a teacher of the Gentiles in 
faith and verity." The apostle not only believ- 
ed, but taught; not only taught, but commanded 
others to teach and preach this great doctrine, 
of God's being the Saviour, or Restorer of all 
men. In this he glorified, saying, ^' This is a 
faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation. 
For therefore we both labor and suffer reproach, 
because we trust in the living God, who is the 
Saviour (or Restorer) of all men, especially of 
those that believe. Ifhese things command and 
teach." 

Upon this grand foundation, St. Paul recom- 
mends prayer to all men; saying, I will there- 
fore, that men pray every where, lifting up holy 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 175 



hands, without wrath and doubting." 1 'i'im. ii, 
1, 8. iv. 9, 10, IL 

Observe, the apostle recommends prayer for 
all men; and wills, that men should pray every 
where, at all times, and in all places, lifting up 
holy hands, without wrath and doubting. How 
nearly forgiving all men, and praying for all men, 
stand connected! and both are plainly and per- 
emptorily recommended by our Lord, who says, 
"Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, 
do good to them that hate you, and pray for them 
which despitefully use you, and persecute you." 

We are commanded to pray for all men, be- 
cause it is the will of God that all men should 
be saved (or Restored) because Christ hath giv- 
himself a ransom for all. And we are bid to 
pray without doubting. O what a world is this! 
May we, ought we, to pray, for the salvation of 
all men, without doubting ? Surely, God would 
never have commanded us to do this, unless it 
was his purpose to restore all men, in his own 
time; and no man can say, that the behef of the 
Restoration will prevent our praying for all men. 

I was once on a journey, and called in at the 
house of one of my former g-Dod friends. Sev- 
eral religious persons were there; and, after 
some time, my sentiments came to be spoken of, 
and they seemed to wonder how I could embrace 
the opinion, that all men, finally, would be sav- 
ed! I told them, however many might preach 
against it, that no person, under the influence of 
the Divine Spirit, could pray against it; but, on 
the contrary, we could pray for it in faith, noth- 
ing wavering, as God had commanded, and as 
his Spirit naturally inspired; that no person 



176 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



could '/ray God not to save or restore all man* 
kind, without being shocked at the blasphemy 
and impiety of such a prayer; but that our Lord 
had said, that all things whatsoever we asked in 
prayer, believing that we should receive, should 
be granted, let them be things seemingly ever so 
impossible; that if we asked any thing accord- 
ing to his will, it should be done; and that it was 
his positive and declared will, that all men should 
be saved (or restored) and come to the knowl- 
edge of the truth; that we were ordered to pray 
for it in faith, without doubting; and, therefore, 
it v/as as evident as the nature of things requir- 
ed, that it would be done; since Grod had never 
ordered us to pray for any thing that he was not 
able and willing to do. This, and much more, 
I said, and they seemed exceedingly well satis- 
fied; especially, when I informed them, that it 
was through the blood of Christ, the blood of the 
covenant, that the prisoners should be sent forth 
out of the pit wherein is no water, and that all 
should be restored through his mediation. 

Friend. Then you hold that even the damned 
shall be finally restored and delivered by the 

fewer of Jesus, and throup-h his blood shedding, 
have heard it objected against your scheme, 
that it tended to set at nought the whole media- 
torial plan, and to depreciate the blood of Jesus, 
which he had shed to purge our sins away; 
though 1 never observed any thing like this in 
jour discourses, either in public or in private. 

Minister, No; God forbid that I should ever 
set aside the blood that cleanseth from all sin; 
sior can I be charged with it, unless having a 
inuch higher idea of its merit than my opposers, 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 177 

may be looked upon as tending to depreciate it. 
They hold that it shall cleanse a small number 
from their sins; I. believe that it shall cleanse, 
heal, and restore the whole human race. They 
believe that its virtue endures for a little season; 
I maintain that it shall continue to all ages, until 
all evil shall be destroyed out of the universe. 

Friend. I am satisfied that you do not mean 
to set at nought the powerful blood of the dear. 
Redeemer, but on the contrary, you suppose 
that your views tend more to exalt it. Pray 
proceed in your discourse. 

Minister. I need not say much more upon 
this matter. Our Saviour has said, " If any 
man will do his (the Father's) will, he shall know 
of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or wheth-' 
er I speak of myself" St. John, vii. 17. This 
is the surest rule; practice religion; love, revere, 
and serve God; love all men, even your ene- 
mies; do good to all, forgive all, and pray for 
all; and then ask, is the doctrine of final Resto- 
ration contrary to this manner of life.^ If it be, 
reject it; for these commands are plain; and if 
these principles are inconsistent with the obser- 
vation of these precepts, then avoid them, as 
you would death and hell. But,*I trust, it has 
been shown that they have no such tendency; 
but the contrary. For instance, does this doc- 
trine tend to make us hate God, and his charac- 
ter? Does it naturally fill our minds with self- 
ishness, and prevent benevolence from ruling 
within us? Does it fill us with pride, and cause 
us to look down with contempt upon those that 
are beneath us in life, and banish humility from 
our hearts? Does the behef of this, cause our 



178 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



breasts to swell with pale envy, and rancorous 
malice, at the happiness of others? Does it 
cause us to burn with hellish rage, fury and mad- 
ness, against mankind ? Does it tend to destroy 
meekness, and increase wrath? If these ques- 
tions require (either from the nature of things, 
or from knowai facts) the answers to be in the 
affirmative; then I would abhor such a system, 
j^nd wish it to be universally detested: but, if on 
the contrary, the candid inquirer must answer in 
the negative, and say, that the doctrine of the 
final Restoration does not tend to produce self- 
ishness, envy, pride, or wrath; but, on the con- 
trary. Glory to God in the highest, and on 
earth peace, good wdll towards men;" that it 
causes benevolence, meekness, humility, for- 
bearance, forgiveness, charity, and all goodness, 
to abound and increase; then it cannot be a li- 
centious doctrine, and is not to be discarded on 
that account; for it is a maxim with St. John, 
that " He that loveth his brother, abideth in the 
light, and there is none occasion of stumbling 
in him." 1 John, ii. 10. That is, he cannot re- 
ceive, hold, maintain, or do, any thing essentially 
or materially wrong; and, therefore, can give no 
just occasion o'f offence. '^For, all the law is 
fulfilled in one w'ord, even in this: thou shalt love 
thy neighbor as thyself For he that loveth an- 
other, hath fulfilled the law. For this, thou shalt 
not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou 
shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not cov- 
et: and if there be any other commandments, it 
is briefly comprehended in this saying: Thou 
shalt love thy neighbor as thyself Love work- 
eth no ill to his neighbor; therefore j love is the 



\ UNIVERSAL RESTORATION, 17^ 

I' fuililiingof the law." Gal. v, 14. Rom. xiii. 8^ 

\ \), 10. ^ 

j Bufc it is not only from reasoning, but from 
facts, that I am able to prove that the belief of 
j the doctrine of the Universal Restoration, does 
jl not lead men to sin. The Tuokers, or German 
i Baptists, in Pennsylvania, and the states adja- 
1 cent, who take the Scriptures as their only 
\ guide, in matters both of faith and practice, 
j have ahvays (as far as I know) received, and 
ij universally, at present, hold these sentiments: 
!| but such Christians, I have never seen as they 
I are; so averse are they to all sin, and to many 
tbinp's that other Christians esteem lawful, that 
they not only refuse to sv/ear, to go to war, &,c. 
but are so afraid of doing any thing contrary to 
the commands of Chirst, that no temptation 
would prevail upon them even to sue any person 
at law, for either name, character, estate, or any 
debt, be it ever so just. They are industrious, 
sober, temperate, kind, charitable people; envy- 
ing not the great, nor despising the mean: They 
read much, they sing and pray much, they are 
c >nstant attendants upon the worship of God; 
their dwelling houses are all houses of prayer; 
they walk in the commandments and ordinances 
of the Lord blameless, both in public and pri- 
vate. They bring up their children in the nur- 
ture and admonition of the Lord. No noise of 
rudeness, shameless mirth, loud, vain laughter, is 
heard w^ithin their doors. The law of kindness 
is in their mouths; no sourness or moroseness, 
disgraces their religion; and whatsoever they 
believe their Saviour commands, they practice^ 
without inquiring or regarding what others do. 



180 



D1AI.0GUES ON THE 



I remember the Rev. Morgan Edwards, for- 
merly minister of the Baptist church in Phila- 
delphia, once said to me, ^'God always will have 
a visible people on earth; and these are his 
people at present, above any other in the 
world." And in his history of the Baptists in 
Pennsylvania, speaking of these people, he says: 
" General redemption they certainly held, and, 
withal, general salvation; ^vhich tenets (though 
wrong) are consistent. In a word, they are 
meek and pious christians; and have justly ac- 
quired the character of the harmless 2\inkers,^^ 

Thus have I proved that this doctrine is not 
licentious; both from the first principles on which 
it is founded, from the nature of experimental 
and practical religion, and from facts. As to 
that part of the objection, which supposes this 
doctrine to be the same that the serpent preach- 
ed to Eve, saying, ''Ye shall not surely die;" it 
seems almost unworthy of notice. But as it 
has been glorified in by some writers, as unan- 
s^verable, merely because it was passed over un- 
noticed, as being nothing to the purpose; I shall 
make afew^ remarks upon it. 

1. I say, that Satan was a liar, and God was 
true. — For man and woman did die^ in a moral 
sense, on the very day that they sinned; they 
became dead in trespasses and sins; they lost 
the divine life, and became earthly, sensible, 
devilish; darkness in their understandings, stub- 
ornness in their wills, and disorder in their effec- 
tions, rendered them unfit, unable and unworthy 
to have fellowship with their Gob. But do they 
contradict Jehovah, and join with the serpent 
who assert, that Jesus, the second Adnm, 



UNIVERSAL RESTOi^ATION. 



181 



hath quickened, and is able to quicken, those 
who are dead in trespasses and sins? If so,^ St. 
Paul joined vv'ith the serpent, in Ephes. ii. 1. 

2. The sentence of death was pronounced 
upon man, even the death of the body, in those 
words-, ^^In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat 
bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out 
of it wast thou taken; for dust thou art, and un- 
to dust thou shait return." — Gen. iii. 19. But, 
would it be just and right for any one to say, that 
those who believed the resurrection of the body, 
contradicted God, and joining with the serpent, 
declared that men should not die; merely, be- 
cause they asserted according to the promises, 
that they should rise again ? \Y ould not those 
who preach Jesus and the resurrection, have a 
right to look upon it as a vile and wilful slander, 
if any one should so misrepresent the matter? 
What! must I be accused of saying that no man 
ever died, because I believe and teach that some 
have risen, and that all shall be raised at last; 
when the very idea of a resurrection pre-suppos- 
es a state of death? 

3. I confess, that God has threatened sinners 
with the second death; but do I say that they 
shall never taste of the second death, because I 
docLare, that the time will come when it shall ex- 
ist no more ? This is curious reasoning, indeed. 
As well may I say that no man ever lived on 
earth, because so many have died; that no one 
sleeps in the night who wakes in the morning ; 
or that no fish was ever in the v/ater, that was 
caught and taken out. 

Did St. Paul join with the serpent, when he 
said, ^'For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ 
16 



182 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



shall all be made alive 1 Cor. xv. 22. Will 
any suppose that we affirm, that the dreadful 
threatenings denounced by God, never were, nor 
ever will be executed, because we declare, that 
his promises shall also be fulfilled r Can any rea- 
sonable man suppose, because Christ is the Sav- 
iour of men, that, therefore they were not in a 
lost condition ? How absurd ! when he declares^ 
that he came to seek and save the lost ! 

Thus, though mankind died a moral death, in 
the day wherein they sinned; yet, Christ is able 
to quicken and raise them up from the same; and 
though their bodies die in consequence of the fall^ 
yet shall he cause ail that are in the graves to 
hear his voice, and come forth; and, by the same 
rule of arguing, though many shall fall under the 
power of the second death, vrhich is threatened 
to sinners; yet as he has promised to destroy all 
that bears the name of death ^ their Restoration 
may be fairly concluded, without either contra- 
dicting God, or joining with the serpent. Flad 
the Scriptures, indeed, contained nothing but 
threatenings of death, without any promises of 
mhationy resm-redionj or restoraiion ; it would 
have been presumptuous for us to have enter- 
tained any hopes ibr th« human race, or their 
deliverance, either fron> s???, decdli or hell; but, 
since promises are found, as well as ihreaieninp^s^ 
we must not, under pretence or color of believ- 
ing the latter^ reject the former, lest we are 
found contradictors and opposers of God; for it 
is as possible that v»-e may make him a liar, in 
refusing to believe the record he has given of 
his Son, and his intentions of grace and mercy 
towards mankind^, as in disregarding his threat- 



UNIV £RS AL RESTORATION. i g-3 



enings, denounced against them because of their 
sins. 

As for tliis doctrine making the hearts of the 
righteous sad ivhow^ God ivould not have made sady 
nothing can be more contrary to fact; for if it 
be the will of God to reward and punish, and 
finally to restore mankind, none of the righteous 
will be sorry, but on the contrary, will greatly 
rejoice. It is not God's truth, but men's lies, of 
which the prophet speaks; which made the 
hearts of the righteous sad, and strengthened 
the hand of the wicked, that he should not re- 
turn from his wicked way, by promising him life: 
but we are so far from strengthening the hands 
of the wicked, and saying, that no evil shall 
come upon them; that we declare from the 
Scripture, that ''the wrath of Gon is revealed 
from Heaven, against all ungodliness and un- 
righteousness of men, who hold the truth in un- 
righteousness; unto them that are contentious, 
and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteous- 
ness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and an- 
guish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil; 
of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile." Rom. 
i. 18. ii. 8,9. And that "there is no peace to 
the wicked." Isa. xlviii. 22. Ivii. 20, 21. There- 
fore, they are called to repent, and turn to God; 
for in sin they never can be happy; no unholy 
or unclean thing can enter into the kingdom of 
Heaven. And so far are we from promising 
them life in their wicked ways, that we testify, 
from the Scripture, that "He that believeth not 
the Son, shall not see life," while he continues 
in that state: "but the wrath of God abideth on 
him." St. John, iii. 36, 



184 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



Friend, I had inteRded to propose that text 
as an objection to your system; it is indeed one 
that Dr. Whitby* insists much uponrbut I see how 
you will answer it — that the unbeliever, as such, 
and while he so coniinues, cannot see life; but the 
wrath of God abideth on him, while he remain- 
eth in unbelief; but that God can take away the 
cause^ in his own time, and then the eflect shall 
cease. 

Minister. Certainly, this must be the mean- 
ing; for St. John only meant to describe the dif- 
ference between believers and unbelievers, as 
such: but could not mean to intimate, that those 
who were not unbelievers in his time, should al- 
ways continue so. 

But I now pass to consider the latter part of 
this objection, upon which I have dwelt so long: 
viz. that it is the nature of God to lay the high- 
est possible restraint upon sin, and, therefore he 
has threatened it with everlasiiiig damncilic7iy 
which must intend endless misery; and as this 
restraint is found too weak, wliolly to prevent 
evil, what amazing increase v/ould there be, if 
this restraint should be taken off, in any degree; 
as it must be, if it should come to be known that 
punishments were only /or certain ages or jjeri- 
odsy and designed for the amendment of the suf- 
ferers ? 

I once asked a Reverend Divine what v* as his 
strongest argumiont in favor of endless pi^nish- 
mentl and he told me, that which is mentioned 
above; and therefore, as it is of considerable 
importance I shall give it a brief considera- 
tion. 

*See Whitby's Disccurfeeg. 



yNIVERSAL RESTORATION, 



185 



1 . It is not quite clear to me, that it is the na- 
ture of God to lay the highest possible restraint 
upon sin; and that he always doth so, in ail his 
dispensations.— He sometimes has higher de- 
signs in view, than barely to restrain sin; he 
sometimes, perhaps, suffers it to prevail for a 
time, that his power might be more manifest in 
destroying it; hence we read, ^^Moreover the 
law entered"— not merely to restrain sin, but — 
''that the offence might abound; but where sin 
abounded, grace did much more abound; that 
as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might 
grace reign, through righteousness, unto eter- 
nal hfe, by Jesus Christ our Lord. Wherefore, 
then, serveth the law? It was added because of 
transgressions, till the seed should come, to 
whom the promise was made." Rom. v. 20, 
Gal. iii. 19. St. Paul says; ''Sin, taking occa- 
sion by the commandment, wrought in me all 
manner of concupiscence; for, without the law 
sin was dead. Was, then that which v/as good, 
made death unto me? God forbid: but sin, that 
it might appear sin, working death in me, by that 
which is good; that sin, by the commandment, 
might become exceeding sinful." Rom. vii. 8, 
13. Perhaps if the punishment of sins immedi- 
ately followed the commission of them, it would 
be a stronger and more effectual restraint than 
any threatenings of future misery; yet God does 
not think it necessary to restrain sin by that 
means, though it is expressly asserted, that, "Be- 
cause sentence against an evil work is not exe- 
cuted speedily, therefore is the heart of the sons 
of men fully set in them to do evil." Eccl, viii, 
11. There is no doubt but if the awful punish« 
16^ 



m 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



ments of the future state were made visible to 
our senses, by any means, they would prove a 
powerful restraint to sin; yet God has not 
thought fit to restrain it by those, and perhaps 
many other possible ways. Wherefore 1 have a 
right to doubt the premises; for if the strongest 
possible restraints were laid upon sin, it might 
not be so consistent with a state of probation, as 
those reasonable restraints which God hath 
thought fit to lay upon it. 

2. But it may be questioned, whether there 
is not something in the idea of limited, yet cer- 
tain punishment, so just, equitable, reasonable 
and evident, that it is much more calculated to 
produce belief, and consequently more effectual 
io destroy false hopes of escaping it, and also to 
check that daring presumption, which rises out 
of the idea of endless inisery^ than can be found 
in the contrary doctrine. Endless punishment 
seems to shock tender minds at least. I heard 
of a little boy, to whom his mother constantly 
kept preaching damnation without end, for every 
sin; one day after she had been discoursing with 
him in that manner, he went to work, but soon 
returned back, suddenly opened the door, and 
with an air of surprise, cried out; ^'Why, moth- 
er, the law says, A eye for an eye^ a tooth for a 
toothy a hand for a handy a foot for a foot; but 
you say, ten thousand for one, and that punish- 
ment shall never end." I have heard of num- 
bers that had no better excuse for sinning greed- 
ily, than this, viz. that there was no hopes of 
their being saved; that, therefore, they were de- 
termined to sin as much as possible, since it 
could make no difference. I have reason to savj 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATlONe 187 

from what I know of mankind, that more persons 
refuse to beheve in Divine Revelation because 
it is commonly thought to contain the doctrine of 
endless misery, than from any other cause: And 
numbers have embraced it immediately upon be- 
ing fairly convinced that it was not necessary to 
understand it in that light. And a very sensible 
Deist once said to an acquaintance of mine, 
who believed and preached the universal doc- 
trine — ''Had I been acquainted with your sys- 
tem, thirty years ago, I should have been a zeal- 
ous Christian; and as great a friend to Revela- 
tion, as 1 have been an enemy."— "And pray 
why not now,Doctor ?" "Because I am ashamed, 
having so long been fighting against, to receive 
it now.'' 

3. Though damnation has been commonly un- 
derstood to be endless, for many ages; yet it 
has not (as far as we can judge) prevented evil 
at all, or very little; but I have mentioned be- 
fore, how very strict those people live, who re- 
ceive and hold the system of limited punishments ; 
whether it is that endless damnation is too unnatur- 
al to be believed, and that limited punishments, be- 
ing more reasonable, seem more certain; or 
whether it be that by considering they shall be 
punished, either without end, or not at all; and 
every one thinking that endless punishment is 
more than they deserve, but is only reserved for 
some greater sinners, and therefore they have 
nothing to fear from it, I shall not pretend to de- 
termine; but certain it is, that where the idea of 
endless misery prevails, it has not prevented in- 
iquity, in the measure that might have been ex- 
pected, on the supposition of its being the truth 
of God. 



188 DIALOGUES ON THE 

4. The great number of Heathens, that die 
without ever being favored with the Kght of the 
gospel, and certainly without ever hearing of 
endless misery; the many that die in a state of 
infancy and childhood; together with the instan- 
ces of idiots, and persons born deaf; all con- 
vince me more than any logical arguments that 
God has many ways of instructing and reclaim- 
ing his creatures, in another state that we are at 
present unacquainted with. 

5. It is not so much the intention of God, 
merely to restrain sin as to shew it in all its 
dreadful deformity, punish it according to its 
deserts and finally, to shew the superabounding 
of his grace, in overcoming and totally destoying it 
out of his creation; which shall be accomplished 
when HE that sitteth upon the throne shall 
make all things new; ''And there shall be no 
more death, neither sorrow nor crying; neither 
shall there be any more pain; for the former 
things are passed away." Rev. xxi. 4. 

6. As the doctrine of the final Restoration 
has been shewn in itself not to hav^e the least 
tendency to licentiousness, but directly the re- 
verse; and as far as I can learn, by history, or my 
o\vn observation, those w^ho have believed it, in 
the manner here laid down, as perfectly consist- 
ent with a future state of rewards and punish- 
ments, have been particularly careful to depart 
from iniquity of every kind ; yet if any should 
be so lost to all that is good, as to pervert this 
truth (revealed for contrary purposes) to their 
own destruction, they alone must bear the blame, 
the loss and the punishment. The Scriptures of 
truth have been perverted ; yet that is no argu- 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 



189 



merit against Divine Revelation. The Gospel 
l' of the Grace of God, has been abused ; but 
should it never be preached on that account r 
Some in the apostles' days, turned the Grace of 
I God itself into wantonness and lasciviousness, 
j (see Jude, 4 ;) and others pretended that those 
holy men encouraged sin, by proclaiming salva- 
I tion to sinners, through grace, or faith in Christ; 
i of which St. Paul complains, Rom. iii. 8. " We 
j be slanderously reported, and some affirm that 
li we say, let us do evil, that good may come; 
! whose damnation is just." The holy apostle 
j abhored, and constantly denied this horrid conse- 
quence, which some perverse minds pretended to 
draw from his doctrine; he declared that the 
damnation of such wns just, who did sin that 
grace might abound, or v/ho affirmed that the 
doctrine led thereto, or that the apostles taught 
or practised any such things; nevertheless (not 
as fools, but as wise) they did not think ft to 
lay the gospel aside, and refuse to preach salva- 
tion through Christ any more on that account. 
The self same reasq^iing applies to the present 
case. 

Friend.. I must confass that you have so far pre- 
vailed as to silence this great objection; for cer- 
tainly the belief of the Restoration seems, by 
your account of it, consistent with a state of 
grace, and the knowledge and practice of - relig- 
ion. But though you have obviated several ob- 
jections, there is one you have not yet touched, 
which is very considerable, and I am doubtful 
that it will be difficult, if not impossible for you 
to answer fairly ; it may be thus expressed, God 
ha$ abounded ioivards us in all wisdom; one in- 



190 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



stance is his hanging out the threatenings of the 
severest punishments to prevent his creatures 
from sinning while in this world; but to tell them 
at the same time, that if they should sin, he 
means to save them, is not prudent; because 
that lessens, if not destroys the force of his 
threatening. He told Adam that if he did eat 
he should surely die; but did not tell him (at 
the same time) that if he should eat his case 
would not be remediless; this were to take down 
with one hand what he had set up with the oth- 
er. After the threatening failed of the effect, he 
told him so, and not before, this was prudent- 
ly done; so after his threatenings fail of effect in 
this state, is the time to reveal his design of sav- 
ing daring sinners. We may therefore be sure 
that he has not done it yet, and that we miscon- 
strue those texts which seem to contain such a 
revelation. The next state is the only state to 
preach the doctrine, and reveal the doctrine. 
If you preach it here, it will be unnecessary 
to preach it in hell; for obstinate sinners will 
carry it in their heads thither. 

Minister. As specious and plausible as this 
objection seems, I doubt not of being able to 
answer it fairly, without evading the natural force 
of it in the least. — The first thing that I shall no- 
tice in this objection, is the very different and 
contrary manner in which you apply those words 
of the apostle from his first evident intention. 
He hath abounded towards tis in all wisdom and 
prudence having made known unto us the mijstery 
of his toill according to his good pleasure^ which he 
hath purposed in himself, that in the dispensation 
of the fulness of times he might gather together in 



Ill UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 19| 

' one all things in Christy both which are in Heaven^ 
\ and which are on earthy even in him. Ephes. i. 8, 
1 9, iO. God hath judged it to be the height of 
' heavenly wisdom and prudence to make known 
i| to his saints, his glorious purpose, finally to re- 
head all things in Christ; and we ought not to 
presume to be more wise and prudent than he. 
There is no doubt but God hath revealed this 
I great truth more immediately to his saints and 
j faithful ones for their consoiationj than for the 
li benefit of the finally impenitent. 
1 It is of amazing, I had almost said of infinite 
j use to the people of God, to have this divine 
counsel declared to them in the present time. 
The knowledge of this truth entirely removes 
[ all hard thoughts of God from the minds of those 
who receive it, as I can testify by experience; 
for since I have believed in the doctrine of the 
universal Restoration, I have never had one hard 
thought of God abiding for one minute in my mind 
that I remember, and never expect to have any 
more while I continue to believe it firmly. 

The belief of the Restoration is of great use in 
supporting good people under their sorrows and 
trials here; the idea that evil shall be destroyed, 
and all things restored to their primitive glory is 
the most consolatory of all other ideas. As this 
doctrine tends to remove the greatest difficul- 
ties from the plan of Providence, and also from 
divine Revelation, it is evident that the knowl- 
edge of it must be of the greatest use to all that 
love their great Creator. And, therefore, if the 
revelation of it answered no other purpose in 
this life, but for the happiness, joy, and satisfac- 
tion of such as love God, we might be sure that 



192 



DIALOGUES 0:M THE 



he hath made it known, and that we rightiv un- 
derstand those passages that hold it forth; for since 
''the secret of the Lord is with them that fear 
him, and he will show them his covenant," Psal . 
XXV. 14, and "The Lord God will do nothing, 
but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the 
prophets," Amos. iii. 7, there is all the reason to 
conclude, that if God ever intended to restore 
mankind hereafter, he w^ould not fail to reveal it 
to his chosen and faithful servants. And this he 
hath done, if I can understand the meaning of 
words. 

It is true that God did not inform our first pa- 
rents before they sinned that he had provided a 
remedy; but not long did he delay after the fail 
to reveal to them, that the seed of the woman 
should bruise the serpent's head;Gen. iii. lo,&this 
one text contains in miniature all that I believe 
respecting the Restoration of mankind; for if 
the serpent's head is finally to be bruised, his 
power and influence over mankind, must be en- 
tirely destroyed; and then what shall prevent 
their return to God. 

Besides, it is impossible to read the Scrip- 
tures attentively, and not perceive that God 
very frequently mixes promises of mercies 
among his severest threatenings of judgement ; 
and yet he doth not throv/ down with one hand, 
what he builds up with the other. 

Your object seems to suppose that the doc- 
trine of the Restoration supercedes and sets 
aside those punishments v/hich God has threat- 
ened to inflict upon the im.penitent; or else hov/ 
does the preaching of this doctrine weaken the 
force of the threatenings.^ But this is a very 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 



19S 



false idea; for we acknowledge that the threat- 
enings shall be fulfilled, and not that the diso- 
bedient shall escape unpunished. There is a 
great deal of difference between these two ideas^, 
though you would intimate them to be the same^ 
and that we contradict God by assuring the 
wicked that they shall escape the just judgement 
of God. But we only declare that an end shall 
finally come to their punishment, and that when 
they shall be sufficiently humbled a dispensation 
of mercy shall succeed that of judgement. Let 
me ask you, has not God threatened mankind 
with death on the account of sin? '^Dust thou 
art and unto dust thou shalt return." Gen. iii. 19. 
Well^ tell me, is this threatening either weak- 
ened or destroyed by the knowledge of the great 
doctrine of the resurrection of the dead.^ Did 
not God threaten the children of Isreal with 
dreadful judgements to prevent their sinning, and 
that they should be dispersed among all nations ? 
But will you say that he either weakened or de- 
stroyed the force of his threatenings, because he 
promised them at the same time that at least he 
would return their captivity, and restore them as 
at the first, and do better unto them, than at 
beginning. 

The laws of this country condemn criminals 
to death; would it be thought that I should weak- 
ken or destroy the force of the penal statutes, 
by saying, that the execution of their law could 
only be felt for a certain time, beyond which it 
could not endure ? Is not every malefactor un- 
der the sentence of death supposed to know 
this? And yet will any presume to say, that 
these laws arc entirely weakened, and their force 
* 17 



194 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



destroyed because thej do not condemn trans- 
gressors to endless punishments? But, if it be 
allowed that torments, which are but momenta- 
ry have a considerable influence in restraining 
many vices, there cannot be the smallest reason 
to fear that the doctrine of just retribution ac- 
cording to the deeds done in the body, will 
open the door to vice and immorality, but on 
the contrary. But this objection is so near akin 
to the last which you proposed, that it hardly de- 
serves a distinct consideration; for if the doctrine 
of the Restoration does not lead men to commit 
sin (as I am sure it has no such tendency) then 
no harm can be apprehended from its being 
knov/n in this state. And whereas you argue, 
that as it would not be proper for the present 
state, we may be sure that God hath not reveal- 
ed it; and therefore is highly proper for men to 
to know in the present state. You will please 
therefore to notice that the universal doctrine, so 
far from tending to render the divine threatenings 
useless or vain, weakening their force, or setting 
them aside, operates in the direct contrary man- 
ner. I as much believe as you or any other man 
can do, that all the threatenings will be fulfilled 
upon the finally impenitent; but dare not carry 
the matter so far as to set aside the gracious 
promises of God, with which the Scriptures ap- 
pear to me to abound, in favor of the final re- 
covery of all at last. 

Friend. It must I think he confessed that if 
the doctrine of the Restoration be true, it would 
he matter of great joy and comfort for good 
men to know' it, for they have often great trouble 
and anxiety of mind on the account of their 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 



195 



families, friends, neighbors, acquaintance, and 
mankind in general; which sorrow would be 
greatly relieved, could they have an idea of 
the Restoration of all things in the manner 
you hold it. But however true this may be, it 
seems not to be plainly revealed in the Scrip- 
ture, otherwise it would not be hidden from the 
eyes of so many great and good men. 

Miiiister. It is possible, that a subject may 
be revealed in the plainest manner, and yet the 
best of men may remain ignorant of it. For 
instance, were not the sufferings, death and 
resurrection of our Lord plainly revealed in the 
Scriptures of the old Testament? And yet we 
know that the apostles of our Saviour did not un- 
derstand one of those prophecies. Nay, when 
Jesus told them openly and expressly that he 
must be dehvered into the hands of men, and 
that they should mock, scourge, and crucify 
him, and that the third day he should rise again, 
they did not comprehend his meaning; although 
he spoke to them frequently and very plainly up- 
on the subject, and said, ''Let these sayings sink 
down into your ears; for the son of man shall 
be delivered into the hands of men. But they 
understood not this saying, and it was hid from 
them, that they perceived it not; and they fear- 
ed to ask him of that saying." St. Luke ix. 
44, 45. And in another place we read, "For 
he taught his disciples, and said unto them, the 
Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, 
and they shall kill him; and after that he is kil- 
led, he shall rise the third day." It is impossi- 
We that words should be more express, or less 
liable to be niisunderstood. ''But (as the evangel- 



196 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



ist immediately informs us) "they understood not 
that saying, and were afraid to ask him." St. 
Mark, ix. 31, 32. And in the same chapter we 
find, that after our Lord Jesus was transfigured 
upon the mount in the presence of Peter, James, 
and John, "As they came down from the moun- 
tain he charged them that they should tell no man 
what things they had seen, till the Son of man 
w^ere risen from the dead. And they kept that 
saying with themselves, questioning one with an- 
other what the rising from the dead should 
mean.'' Ver. 9, 10. This was what Christ 
taught them not only plainly, but also frequently. 
See St. Matt. xvi. 21. xvi*i. 9,22,23. xx. 17, 
18, 19. xxvi. 31, 32. St. Mark, viii. 31. ix. 9, 10, 
31, 32. x. 32,33,34. xiv. 27, 28. St. Luke, 
ix. 21,22, 44, 45. xviii. 31, 32,33,34. 

Yet notwithstanding the plainness and fre- 
quency of these predictions, and the pains which 
Christ took to instil these ideas into them, they 
never umierstood them at all until some time af- 
ter they were fulfilled. For when they saw him 
taken and delivered into the hands of men, and 
treated exactly according to his own words often 
repeated, they were entirely disappointed, and 
all their hopes seemed to die within them. — And 
when he was risen from the dead, they would 
not believe the testimony of those who had seen 
him, and would hardly trust their own senses, so 
ignorant w^ere they of what he had told them. 

St. John was the first of the disciples who be- 
lieved that he was risen, for thus he writes, 
Then went in also that other disciple, who 
came first to the sepulchre, and he saw and be- 
lieved. For as yet they knew not the Scripture 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 



197 



that he must rise again from the dead." St. 
John, XX. 8, 9. This instance is so much to my 
purpose, and proves so evidently that a thing 
may be plainly revealed, and expressed in the 
clearest manner, aiid yet not be understood, that 
1 hardly need mention any more. But I v/ill 
mention another, and that is, the caihng of the 
Gentiles. This wsls spoken of by the prophets, 
in the clearest language; and Jesus after his 
resurrection gave a full commission to his apos- 
ties, which one would think it was impossible for 
them to misunderstand. 

All power is given unto me in heaven and 
in earth, go ve therefore and teach all nations,'' 
ac. St. Matt, xxviii, 18, 19. '^Go ye inio all 
the world and preach the gospel to every crea- 
ture." St. Mark, xvi. 15. 

" Thus it is written, and thus it behooved 
'Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead on 
the third day; and that repentance and remission 
of sins should be preached among all nations, 
beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses 
•of these things." St. Luke, xxiv. 46, 47, 48. 

Ye shall receive power after that the Holy 
Ghost is come upon you; and ye shall be wit- 
nesses unto me both in Judea and in Samaria, 
and unto the uttermost part of the earth." Acts 
i. 8. But the apostles themselves, even after 
the miraculous descent of the Holy Ghost upon 
them, were without understanding, respecting 
the calling of the Gentiles, until St. Peter was 
taught it by a vision from heaven. See Acts, x. 

And St. Paul speaks of this subject as a mys- 
tery that was hid from ages and generations, and 
particularly revealed to him, and not to the saints 
17* 



!9B 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



in that day. See Ephesians, iii. l-ll. Col. i. 

^5, 26, 27, 

Wherefore, when I consider that the apostles 
themselves could not for a time see those things 
to be revealed, which yet were most plainly, ful- 
ly, and frequently told them, I cannot wonder that 
many great emd good men now should not see 
the general Redemption and final Restoration of 
all things plainly revealed in the Scriptures, 
though to me scarce any subject appears more 
evident. It gives me now but little concern to 
hear many say, that they cannot see the matter 
plainly declared in the Bible, since I know that 
things have been there that wise and good men 
could not see; and what has happened in times 
past may take place now; and if I can see for 
myself this great truth made known, it is enough 
for me. I am not to inquire, what does this man 
believe? Or, what shall the other do? I must 
believe what the Scripture appears to me to 
teach, and do what I am there commanded, let 
others believe or do as they may. 

Friend. But I have heard some say of you, 
^'How comes this man to know more than all the 
world? Have there not been many great, wise, 
and good men in all ages,that have never thought 
of these things? If this doctrine of the final 
Restoration of all things had been true, surely 
our wise, good and learned ministers would have 
discovered it, and proclaimed it long ago. But 
the doctrine of endless misery is a point in which 
they seem generally to agree, however they dif- 
fer in other matters, and therefore it must be 
true, and this doctrine of the general Restora- 



UxNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 



199 



tion, which this man holds up, almost alone^ must 
be false." 

Minister. I am very far from pretending to 
be wiser than any that have gone before me; and 
.as for this doctrine of the Restoration it was not 
only believed and preached by the apostles, but 
many of the ancient fathers who lived in the 
first ages of Christianity, were bold witnesses 
for this glorious truth. It is true that when the 
church of Rome rose to supreme power, the 
Popes and Councils endeavored to extirpate the 
merciful doctors (as those who believed the gen- 
eral Restoration, were called in derision) and 
their adherents, but it was not until near the 
xlose of the seventh century, that they were 
. able to silence the witnesses for this truth. This, 
(as well as many other precious truths) then lay 
hid until the reformation when it began a little 
to revive, and hath gradually increased ever 
since. Several great authors have written upon 
it; many hundreds and even thousands, have be- 
lieved it, and found comfort and joy therein. 
Nay, there are many ministers who believe it 
now as firmly as I do, but do not choose to con- 
fess or preach it, for various reasons; and great 
numbers of private christians enjoy the comfort 
and happiness of believing it secretly. But 
put the case that I stood alone in this testimony, 
yet if upon a fair examination, the Scriptures 
hold forth this idea, and if all objections against 
it may be fully answered; why should my testi- 
mony be refused on the account of its singularity r 
God has an absolute right to use what means or 
instruments he pleases, to manifest his truth, and 
to fulfil his purposes; and though I am nothing, 



200 



DIALOGUES 02s THE 



and in his sight am less than nothing, yet he is 
able by the things that are not, to contbund and 
bring to nought the things that are, that no flesh 
should glory in his presence. 1 Cor. i. 28, 29, 

I acknowledge that the generality of the minis- 
ters in the present day profess to believe endless 
misery, though they disagree in other points; 
and indeed one reason why they fall out so 
much about other doctrines, is, because they re- 
ceive this as a first principle, as is very obvious; 
for were those that l)eiieve that Christ died only 
for a part of mankind, once to give up the idea of 
endless misery, they would acknowledge the 
universality of the love of God, and confess that 
Jesus died for all in the fullest sense. And on 
the other hand, if those who believe in general 
redemption, were not so exceedingly tenacious 
of the doctrine of endless misery, they would 
not oppose the doctrine of election, nor hold that 
the will of God might be finally frustrated, and 
that the death of Christ shall be in vain, with 
respect to many, and that many objects of the 
divine love shall finally perish to all eternity. 

These inconsistencies in their sentiments, and 
the contest between them &c those who hold partial 
redemption and salvation, are therefore chiefly, 
if not wholly ovv ing to both parties being agreed 
in this most dreadful doctrine of endless misery. 

It is beautiful to observe the progress of the 
glorious gospel, from its opening to our f^rst pa- 
rents in the garden, down to the present day. 1 
have sometimes mentioned, in public, that the 
more the gospel is known and revealed, the lar- 
ger and richer it appears. 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 



201 



It first seemed confined to one family or na- 
tion, but later discoveries showed that all nations 
had a part therein, and all sorts of people were 
designjed to share in its blessings. Sow the 
glorious news begins to be published abroad, not 
only that all nations, and all sorts of people, but 
all persons and individuals, without exception, 
not only may partake of its benefits, but shall 
in due time enjoy great advantages thereby, 

God always adapts his remedies to the evils 
that prevail in the world; and therefore he hath 
opened his counsels to men according to their 
different capacities, needs, and circumstances, 
Christianity might, formerly, have been received 
and sincerely practised, without being investiga- 
ted at all; but when infidelity rises up and at- 
tacks it, as it does in this our age, it becomes 
the duty of its friends to defend it, by inquiring 
into its meaning; and laying all prejudices aside, 
to receive as truth those things which God hath 
revealed; and the same to vindicate before the 
world. 

It might not formerly have been necessary to 
understand all the prophecies; and yet now, as 
the time of their fulfilment draws nigh, they 
may become more important, be more studied^ 
and better understood; and for this purpose, God 
may actually illuminate the minds of some to 
set them forth in a more rational, scriptural, con- 
sistent manner, than they have appeared in hith- 
erto. And if it should please God to make any 
use of my tongue or pen for this great purpose, 
the glory shall be all ascribed to his name, to 
whom alone it is due; I shall have nothing to 
glory or boast of, forasmuch as I can only com- 



202 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



municate what I receive; and I hope none will 
refuse to receive the truth, however weak or un- 
worthy the instrument by which God may please 
to send it. 

Friend. If this is the truth which you hold 
forth, however contrary to the commonly receiv- 
ed opinions of the age, I see no reason why men 
should refuse to hear what you have to say; but 
I have heard many exclaim against you in the 
severest manner; and declare that they would 
not hear you, nor read your v/ritings on any ac- 
count; and others have said, that they could con- 
fute and overthrow your whole system in ten 
minutes, but whether they would be able to 
make their v/ords good if they should enter the 
list with you is another matter, and cannot be 
determined till a fair trial. 

Minister. I can assure you my friend that I 
should not have the least objection to their mak- 
ing the attempt; for though I am conscious that 
neither my natural nor acquired abilities, are 
worthy to be compared to those of many excel- 
lent characters who hold the contrary sentiments; 
yet the goodness of the cause in which I am en- 
engaged, inspires me with courage to attempt its 
vindication, let who will enter the list with me. 
For when the evidence of this most glorious 
truth first began to appear to my mind, I was de- 
termined never to believe or profess it, until I 
could answer every objection that could be 
brought from the Scriptures against it, fairly and 
without any torturing or twisting the words of 
truth; and it pleased God so to open matters to 
my view, as to take every objection out of my 
mind, and to clear up every doubt in such a 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 



20S 



manner, that I have full satisfaction. And I 
can safely say, in the fear of God, that I am so 
far from being offended with those who ques- 
tion me upon the matter, and thereby give me 
an opportunity of answering for myself, that I 
take it as an act of kindness; and as I stand 
ready to be reproved wherein I am out of the 
way, so I shall thank the persons who, in the 
spirit of love, convinces me of error. Let the 
righteous smite me; it shall be kindness; and let 
them reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, 
which shall not break my head." But let not the 
man who would v/rite, dip his pen in gall; nor he 
that would converse, make his tongue as a sharp 
sword; but, let all bitterness, and wrath, and 
anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put 
away from you, with all malice; and be ye kind 
one to another, tender hearted, forgiving one an- 
other, even as God, for Christ''s sake, hath for- 
given you. Put on, therefore, as the elect of 
God, holy and beloved, bov/els of mercy, kind- 
ness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long suf- 
fering, forbearing one another, and forgiving one 
another, if any man have a quarrel against any; 
even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And, 
above all things put on charity, which is the 
bond of perfectness, and let the peace of God 
rule in your hearts." These are the tempers of 
mind we ought ahvvays to possess; and especial- 
ly, when we discourse upon the great things of 
the kingdom of God. 

Friend. I have the same desires that you ex- 
press; and I think it is to the shame of human 
nature, and a reproach to the innocent cause of 
Christianity, that religious disputes have been 



204 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



carried on with such amazing bitterness and ac- 
rimony. Men seem frequently to forget that 
they are brethren; and that they must all stand 
before the judgement seat of Christ. If they 
remembered these things, as they ought, they 
would not revile, censure, judge, and condemn 
each other, as they do: from w^hich evil practices^ 
may the good Lord preserve us while we debate 
this very important subject; for though I am de- 
termined to urge every thing that I can with pro- 
priety, in the strongest manner that I am able, 
yet I am willing to stipulate on my part, that if 
I should use any reproachful or censorious lan- 
guage in the remainder of the debate, I will give 
you leave to consider it as totally giving up the 
cause in which I am engaged. 

Minister. And I hereby promise the same; 
for I am determined never to write a page of 
controversy; unless it can be written in the very 
spirit of love and true benevolence, with a sin- 
cere desire to find and embrace the truth. 

The \veint of this in most controversial wri- 
ters, has made serious people so weary of con- 
troversy, that they will neither read nor hear it 
on any account; nor can I wonder at it, for such 
bitterness tends entirely to root cut the spirit of 
true rehgion. 

Finend, I hope we shall shew an example to 
mankind, how disputes ought to be carried on 
in love, and in the fear of God, and for the pur- 
pose of mutual edincation. But as our present 
discourse has been long and very important, I 
will take my leave of you for this time, hoping 
at a future opportunity to have more conversa- 
tion with you on this so interesting a subject. 

END OF THE THIRD DIALOGUE. 



DIALOGUE IV. 



Friend. I arn happy to have another oppor- 
tunitj of discoursuig with you, concerning 
that point in which you differ from your breth- 
ren, the final Restoration of all things. I have 
thought much of the subject since I saw you ; 
and though I must acknowledge, that you have 
answered as far as I can see, some of the great- 
est objections that I have found in the Scriptures; 
yet a considerable number. remain to be answer- 
ed, before I can venture to receive as truth, 
v/hat I have hitherto looked upon as a danger- 
ous heresy; and as J have many questions to pro- 
pose, I wish to make the best use of my time. 

Minister. Propose your objections, as freely 
as you please; and I will endeavor to answer 
them as briefly, and at the same time as plainly 
as possible. 

Friend. Christ threatens the Jews w ith ao 
eternal exclusion from his presence. ^^Ye shall 
seek me, and shall not find me; and where I am, 
thither ye cannot come,"^t. John vii. 34. Then 
said Jesus again unto them, I go my y/ay, and 
ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins. 
Whither I go ye cannot come. Ye are from 
beneath, I am from above; ye are of this v/orld, 
I am not of this world. I said tlierefi^re unto 
you, that ye shall die in your sins; for if ye be- 
lieve not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins,'^ 
St. John, viii. 21, 23, 24. 

18 



206 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



Minister, Do you recollect that our Lord 
uses words nearly similar to sorne of these, to 
his own disciples? 

Friend. No, indeed; I do not remember any 
such like expressions used to them. Can you 
shew them to me? 

Minister. If I do, will you acknowledge the 
the force of the objection to be removed? 

Fnend. Certainly, I must. 

Minister. Then read St. John, xiii. 33. '^Lit- 
tle children, yet a little while I am with you. 
Ye shall seek me, and as I said unto the Jews, 
whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say 
unto you." 

Friend. T am surprised that I should never 
have observed this before — Let me read the pas- 
sage — Oh! but stop — it is explained in the 36th 
verse. ^'Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, 
whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, whith- 
er T go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou 
shalt follow me afterwards." — But nothing of 
the kind is intimated respecting the Jews. 

Minister. Not in that text, I confess; but in 
many others it is more than intimated, that they 
shall come to know and love him, yea and to 
behold him as their friend. I think it is intimat- 
ed in those words which our Saviour used, in the 
close of his threatenings to Jerusalem. Be- 
hold your house is left unto you desolate: and 
verily I say unto you, ye shall not see me hence- 
forth, until the time come when ye shall say, 
blessed is he that cometh in the name of the 
Lord," St. Matth. xxiii. 38, 39. St. Luke, xiii. 
35. It is more than intimated in these words — 
^^And so all Israel shall be saved. For God 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 207 



hath concluded them all in unbehef, that he 
might have mercy upon all." Rom. xi. 26, 32. 
^^InJehovah shall all the seed of Israel be justified 
& shall glory," Isai. xlv. 25. ^'I will call them my 
people, who were not my people; &.her beloved, 
that was not beloved. And it shall come to pass, 
that in the place where it was said unto them, ye 
are not my people, there shall they be called the 
children of the Uving God." Rom. ix. 25, 26. 
''Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacoby 
and have mercy upon the tvhole house of Israel; 
I have gathered them unto their own land, and 
have left none of them." Ezek. xxxix. 25, 28. 
^'And I will multiply men upon you, (the moun- 
tains of Israel) all the house of Israel^ even all 
of it." xxxvi. 10. '^Behold, O my people, I will 
open your graves, and cause you to come up 
out of your graves, and bring you into the land 
of Israel. And ye shall know that I am Jeho- 
vah, when I have opened your graves, O my 
people, and brought you up out of your graves 
and shall put my Spirit in you, and ye shall 
live, and I shall place you in your own land; 
then shall ye know that I, Jehovah, have spoken 
it, and performed it, saith Jehovah." xxxvii. 12, 
13, 14. 

Friend. But this returning from captivity, 
can only respect such as are alive at that period, 
when the Lord shall set his hand the second 
time to recover the remnant of his people from 
Assyria, &lc. 

Minister. That is more than any one can 
prove; as the expression is sometimes used ev- 
idently for the Restoration of such whose bodies 
are destroyed beyond dispute; as in the case of 
Soclx)m and her daughters, who were taken away, 



203 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



by nre and brimstone from Heaven, whose cap- 
tivity God prorxiises to return, together with the 
captivity ol" Samaria,, and her daughters, at the 
same time that he wili bring again the captivity 
of Jei^usalemj and her daughters in the midst of 
them. See Ezek. xvi 44,63; especially v. 53, 
55,61. 

Friend. But Mr. Poole's Continuators, as 
well as many other eminent divines, tell us, that 
these which you take to be prom^ises, are only 
dreadful threatenings; and their meaning is this: 
— I never will bring again the captivity of Sa- 
maria, and her daughters; nor the captivity of 
Sodom, k, her daughters; neither will I ever bring 
cigain the captivity of thy captives, In the midst 
of them; when Sodom and her daughters shall 
return to their former estate, (which is impossi- 
ble) and Samaria and her daughters shall return 
to their former estate (which shall never be) then 
Ihou and thy daughters shall return to your for- 
mer estate; but that time shall never come. 

Minister. I know, such is their interpretation, 
which proves nothing more than the Vv^eakness 
of their cause; for in all this, they expressly 
contradict God, who, from the 60th verse to the 
end of the chapter, promises blessings to Je^'u- 
salem in the most absolute manner, that he will 
remember the covenant made with her in the 
days of her youth, and will establish unto her 
an everlasting covenant: that she shall receive 
her sisters, Samaria and Sodom (called her elder 
and her younf!;er sister;) and he promises to givo 
them to her for daughters; not by the first cov- 
enant, indeed, but by the new and everlasting 
covenant, which he v/ill make in those days; 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. ^09 



then shall the covenant be firmly established 
with her; she shall know Jehovah; shall remem- 
ber, and be confounded; and never shall open her 
mouth in pride any more, because of her former 
sin and shame, when God shall be pacified toward 
her, for all that she hath done. 

How many promises has God made to Jerusa- 
leniy in the prophecies, of not only bringing her 
captivity y and returning her to her former estate; 
but even causing greater blessings than ever to 
come to her, and of doing better to her than in 
her beginning, making her an eternal excellency j 
a joy of many generations , &c. 

It is therefore very surprising, that men pro- 
fessing to believe the Bible, should dare be so 
bold as to deny these promises, and declare, that 
God will never bring Jerusalem to her former es- 
tate! They might, indeed, safely say, that the 
promises have not yet been fulfilled; but it is too 
bold to assert, that therefore they will never be 
accomplished. Were there no other text to 
prove the Restoration of the Jews who died 
in their sins, and indeed of the whole fallen race 
of Adam, should I judge this sufiicient; — All 
that the Father givelh me, shall come to me; and 
him that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast 
out. For I came down from heaven, not to do 
my own will, but the will of him that sent me. 
And this is the Father'^s will, which hath sent me, 
that of all which he hath given me, I should 
lose nothing; but should raise it up again at the 
last day." St. John, vi. 37, 38, 39— Here we 
find thsit Christ our jLordI,declares not only that all 
that the Father giveth him shall come to him; but 
also^ that they shall come in such a manner as 
18* 



210 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



in no wise to be cast out; and that such is the 
Father'' s will, that nothing of all which he hath 
given to the Son should be lost or missing, at 
that geat day when he shall dehver up the king- 
dom to the Father, who did put all things under 
him; and as this is the will of that God who 
worketh all things ajter the counsel of his own will 
and as Christ has undertaken the accomplish- 
ment of this will of the Father, it concludes 
absolutely and forcibly against the doctrine of 
endless misery and annihilatio7i. 

Friend. It certainly does, with respect to all 
those whom the Father giveth, or hath given to 
the Son; but to none else. 

Minister. That is all that I contend for; I 
ground the Universal Restoration of all things, 
upon these two premises, which I call the major 
and the minor. 1. That all things are given to 
the iSon, without exception. 2 That a/Tthat are 
given him, shall come to him, in such a manner as 
not to be cast out ; and that none shall be miss- 
ing, lost, or wholly destroyed, but shall be forth- 
coming, in that great day when Christ shall give 
up the kingdom to the Father. 

Friend. But can you prove your major? I am 
sensible that the minor has been the great found- 
ation upon which particular redemption, &c. has 
been supported; but if the major can be proved, 
it will set the strongest weapons of those who 
hold partial decrees, Sac. directly against them, 
and will give another turn to the argument. 

Minister. I can prove the major by the same 
positive expressions as the minor, and by more 
passages of Scripture; and you shall judge for 
yourself, whether I quote them fairly, and 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 



whether they can be invalidated by any argu- 
ments which will not, at the same time, invalidate 
the minor. I will set down the several texts at 
large, as they are of great importance. 

St. Matth. xi. 27. "Ml things are delivered 
unto me of my Father; and no man knoweth the 
Son but the Father; neither knoweth any man 
the Father^ save the Son, and to whomsoever 
the Son will reveal him." — The very same 
words are mentioned by St. Luke. See chap. x. 
22. 

But the most striking passages of this kind 
are found in the gospel of St. John, iii. 35, and 
xiii. 3. "The Father loveth the Son, and hath 
given all things into his hands. Jesus knowing 
that the Father had given all things into his 
hands, and that he was come from God, and 
went to Gody &lc." 

God hath moreover said to his Son, "Ask of 
me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine in- 
heritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth 
for thy possession." Psal. ii. 8. 

Thus, all things are given to Christ without 
exception. The major and minor being both 
proved from Scripture, we may venture to 
draw this conclusion. 

If all things are given into the hands of Christ, 
by the Father; and all that the Father giveth, or 
hath given, shall come to Christ, in such a man- 
ner as not to be cast out; then shall all men be 
restored. 

Here the whole Christian world may unite, 
without either party being obliged to give up 
their favorite tenets; and while some strongly 
contend, and prove from Scripture, that all things 



DIALOGUES 0^^ THE 

are delivered into the hands of Jesus; let the 
others go on to prove, that all that the Father 
giveth, shall come in such a manner as not to be 
cast out; thus shall the truth be promoted mutu- 
ally and equally, by those who seem to contra- 
dict each other; but neither shall, in that case, 
contradict what our Lord hath said. 

But as all things^ or all men, without excep- 
tion, are given to JesuSy that he might restore, or 
bring them back to God, in his own way and 
time; so is he invested with ail power, that he 
might he able to accomplish so great a w^ork. 
Jesus spake, saying, "All power is given unto 
me, in heaven and in earth," St. Matth. xxviii. 
18. " For as the Father hath life in himself, so 
hath he given to the Son to have life in himself, 
and hath given him authority to execute judge- 
ment also, because he is the Son of man," St. 
John, V. 26, 27. Jesus our Lord, has power to 
quicken souls who are dead in trespasses and 
sins. See Ephes. ii. 1. He himself saith; "ver- 
ily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, 
and now is, when the dead shall iiear the voice 
of the Son of God; and they that hear shall 
live." St. John, v. 25. He hath power to raise 
all the dead that are in the graves; for he saith 

Marvel not at this; for the hour is coming, in 
which all that are in their graves shall hear his 
voice, and shall come forth; they that have done 
good to the resurrection of life; and they that 
Save done evil to the resurrection of damnation, 
verse 29. But he has not only power to raise 
the dead and quicken whom he will; to give re- 
wards to them that love him, and to pass sen- 
tence of judgement and condemnation upon his 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION, ^1$ 



foes, and they that have done evil; but has also 
power to subdue all things unto himself^ to rec- 
oncile all things, and to rehead ail things in him- 
self. And whatever methods he may use to- 
wards mankind, and whatever miseries he may 
suffer them to feel for their sins, and how long 
soever the dreadflil age of judgement and fiery 
indignation may last, Christ has given us to un- 
derstand, in his prayer to the Father, that the 
power v>^hich he hath, was given with a design 
far superior to this, (though judgement is inclu- 
ded) he saith (in that address which for its gran- 
deur, beauty, simplicity, and majesty, never was 
equalled) As thou hast given him power over 
all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as 
suany (pan, all) as thou hast given him. And 
this is life eternal, that they might know thee, 
the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou 
bast sent," St. John, xvii. 2, 3. Here we see, 
that this power over all flesh was given him for 
this grand purpose, that ultimately he might give 
eternal life; not only endless existence, but the 
knowledge of God and his Christ, to all that the 
Father hath given him; which are all without 
exception. — This is the will of God, that all 
which he hath given the Son, he should lose 
nothing; but should give eternal life, even the 
knowledge of God, which he alone can give, to 
all, without reserve, whom the Father hath giv- 
en him; this is the will which Christ came to do, 
and this he hath power to perform. Now, if he 
came purposely to do the will of God; and if it 
is the will of God, that of all that the Father 
hath given to the Son, he should lose nothing; 
but should bring all to himself, in such a manner 



214 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



as that they should not be cast out, and give 
them all eternal life; and if all, \vithout reserve 
are given to him, and universal power and do- 
minion are his, for this very purpose; if all these 
premises are true — as who can deny? — then 
nothing can be more evident than this conclu- 
sion, viz. that all shall be at last restored. 

" It is written in the prophets, (saith Jesus) 
and they shall all be taught of God. Every man 
therefore, that hath heard, and hath learned of 
the Father, cometh unto me," St. John vi. 45. 
If all shall be taught of God; and all that are 
taught shall come to Christ; and none that come 
to him shall be cast out or rejected; if all these 
premises are true (and, I think, they are fully 
proved) how very naturally the conclusion foi- 
low^s, viz. that all shall be finally brought home 
to God, before Christ shall resign the kingdom 
to the Father. 

Our blessed Lord is invested wiih power suf-. 
ficient to perform this work. It is the will of 
God that it should be done; Christ came into 
the world on purpose to begin, and lay a foun- 
dation for the same; he hath laid a sufficient 
foundation, by tasting death for all; one died for 
all; he gave himself a ransom for all, to be tes- 
tified in due time] and he seemed confident that 
he should be able to accomplish this will of the 
Father, when he said, And I, if I be lifted up 
from the earth, w^ill draw all unto me," St. John, 
xii. 32. — He was lifted up from the earth, and 
therefore the if is now^ no more; he will certain- 
ly draw all unto himself, and give eternal life, 
or the knowledge of God to all. He shall sec of 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. ^15 



ike travail of his soul and he saiisfied. And who 
can conceive how much it will take to satisfy the 
capacious soul of the Son af God, and especial- 
ly after having borne such deadly pains for all ? 

These passages, my friend, establish my mind 
in the belief of the final universal Restitution, 
beyond all hesitation; nevertheless, I would not 
wish to force your assent, were it in my power, 
but only to lay before you that evidence which 
was wrought upon me, and has brought me over, 
notwithstanding my education, prejudices, for- 
mer sentiments, custom, the multitude, my inter- 
est, my honor, and connexions,were all against it. 

Friend. I suppose you know the expositions 
that are given by the generality of expositors 
upon all these texts; and it is a fact that thou- 
sands and millions of great and good men have 
read them, many have preached from them, and 
yet never saw any thing like the universal Res- 
toration contained in them; but if the doctrine 
be true, and be at all intended to be set forth in 
the Scriptures, I must suppose that the passages 
you have mentioned, may allude to it; but I 
have many objections yet to propose, which must 
be fairly answered before I can receive it. 

Minister. I would choose you should propose 
every objection that you can, especially those 
that may be brought from the sacred page; not 
only for your own satisfaction, but lest any should 
be led to suppose that objections of the greatest 
force are purposely kept back, because no solid 
answers could be found; whereas I am desirous 
of hearing whatever can be fairly urged from 
the Scriptures against this view, and make no 



216 



DIALOGUES ON THB 



doubt of being able to shew^ that all may be full/ 
answered. 

FHend. What do you think of those passa- 
ges, where God is represented as swearing in 
his wrath that unbelievers shall not enter into his 
rest, which are found in Psal. xcv. 11. Heb. iii. 
il, 18, 19. Chap. iv. 3, 6, compared with 
Numb. xiv. Do they not seem to cut off all 
hopes of the restoration of those who die in their 
sins? 

Minisler. By theresUhat was promised to 
the children of Israel, which they fortified by 
their unbelief, we must understand the land of 
Canaariydind not the final state of happiness. For 
who can suppose, that out of more than six hun- 
dred thousand men, besides women, only two 
will be saved? and that even Mgscs and JiaroUy 
those saints of the Lord, will be lost among the 
rest ? For they as well as others, entered not 
in; because they believed not God to sanctify 
him before the congregation :(see Numb. xx. 12.) 
Only Caleb and Joshua entered into that rest, for 
they followed the Loy^d fully; and they are typic- 
al of those who shall follow the Lamb in all ages, 
so as to obtain a part in the^rs^ rcsurreclion, over 
whom the second death shall have no power; 
they who are called, and faithful, and are over- 
comerSy shall reign Vv^ith Christ on earth dur- 
ing the Millenium^ which is the rest that was 
pointed out by the land of Canaan. 

Friend. Is it indeed? We have commonly 
understood that rest which the children of Israel 
had in the promised land, as typical of Heaven 
and eternal felicity. 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION^. 217 

Mirdsler. This cannot be, since it is evident 
that mighty wars were waged, and dreadful bat- 
tles fought, thirty-one kings and kingdoms were 
conquered a,nd subdued by Joshua and the Is- 
raelites, after they passed over Jordan ; it was 
not a perfect rest^ but only a type of that keep- 
ing of the Sabbath which remains for the people 
of Gon, into v/hich we are exhorted to enter ; 
which is the time when our Lord, after having 
conquered the nations of the earth, shall reign 
for a ihousand ijears, before the second resurrec- 
tion ; but as many of the Israelites may be sav- 
ed in the day of the Lord, whose carcases fell 
in the wilderness ; so, likewise, shall the names 
of many be found in the book of life, at the gen- 
eral judgement, when the dead, small and great, 
shall stand before Gon, wiio were not worthy to 
have a part in the first resurrection. These 
passages, therefore, conclude strongly against 
ilios€j having a part in the lirst resurrection ; 
but nothing against the fm?J Restoration, which 
is a state far beyond, and belongs to another dis- 
pensation. 

Friend. This is quite a di^evevxi comment 
from what I ever heard before ; but aliov/ing 
this objectioo to be answered, I have another in 
my mind, th.at appears very diiScult, and I should 
be glad to know vvhat you can say upon it ; it is 
drawn from Isaiah, xxvii. 11 — For it is a peo- 
ple of no understanding ; therefore, he that 
made them will not have mercy on them, and he 
that formed them will shew them no favor.'' How 
can they ever be restored, if God will not have 
mercv upon them, nor shew any favor? 

19 



218 



dialogul:s on the 



Minister. If we did not understand these 
words with some hmitation^ it would be as diffi- 
cult to reconcile them with other passages of 
Scripture, as with the doctrine of the Restora- 
tion ; but if we only limit the time, all is easy ; 

He shall have judgement without mercy, that 
hath shewed no mercy nevertheless it is ad- 
ded, " but mercy rejoiceth against judgement," 
James, ii. IS. The way 1 answ^er all these 
threatenings, and shew them to be consistent 
with that boundless mercy of God, that is over 
all his works, is, to shew that both wrath and 
mercy have their season ; that anger endiireth 
but a moment, but that mercy endureth forever ; 
which glorious declaration is expressed more 
than forty times in the Scriptures ; and that God 
frequently threatens the greatest judgements, 
and promises the greatest mercies, to the same 
people and persons. Thus saith Jehovah, 
thy bruise is incurable, and thy wound is griev- 
ous. There is none to plead thy cause, that 
thou mayest be bound up ; thou hast no healing 
medicines. All thy lovers have forgotten thee ; 
they seek thee not ; for I have wounded thee 
witli the wound of an enemy, with the chastise- 
ment of a cruel one, for the multitude of thine 
iniquity ; because thy sins were increased. — 
Why criest thou for thine affliction r Thy sor- 
row is incurable, for the multitude of thine ini- 
quity ; because thy sin.'- were increased, I have 
done these things unto thee." Now, v/ho would 
not think, from reading these words, that these 
people were in a most hopeless state, beyond 
the reach of mercy ; and that it was in vain 
even for them to seek it ? And yet the very 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 



219 



next words speak a language directly contrary. 
— Therefore all they that devour thee, shall be 
devoured, kc. For I will restore health unto 
thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith 
Jehovah ; because they called thee an outcast, 
saying, this is Zion^ whom no man seeketh af- 
ter." See Jer. xxx. 12, 17. I could justify 
this observation by hundreds of passages where- 
in God threatens his people with judgements the 
most severe, and declares — that his eyes shall 
not pity, nor his arm save ; that he will visit their 
transgressions upon them, will utterly cast them 
oif, and will not have compassion on them at all; 
and then such promises of mercy break out as 
are sufficient to astonish every one with their 
greatness. But time would fail to quote them 
at large. God, by Hosea, says, I will no 
more have mercy upon the house of Israel ; but 
I will utterly take them away. For ye are not 
my people, and I will not be your God." And 
then immediately says, speaking of a time to 
come, ^^And it shall come to pass, that in the 
place where it was said unto them, ye are not 
my people, there it shall be said unto them, ^'Ye 
are the sons of the living God." See Hosea, 
i. 6,9, 10. 

The whole prophecy, indeed, seems of a piece 
with this specimen. In the second chapter it is 
said, ''Plead with your mother, plead; for she is 
not my wife, neither am I her husband; and I 
will not have mercy upon her children; for they 
be the children of whoredoms." Then he goes 
on to pronounce many dreadful threatenings; 
but the chapter c- ^ses with the most amazing 
promise!? of mercies to the ^;ame people, under 



220 



DIALOGUES 0Z\ THE 



the siniiiitude of a wife that had been rejectedy 
and after a long time received again. "And 1 
will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, i will be- 
troth thee unto me in unrighteousness, and in 
judgement, and in loving kindness, and in mer- 
cies. I will even betroth thee unto me in faith- 
fulness, and thou shalt know the Lord. And I 
will S3W her unto me in the earth, and I will have 
mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; 
and I will say to them wlio v/ere not my people, 
Thou are my people; and they shall say, Thou 
art my God;" See Hos. ii. 2, 4, 10, 20, 23. — 
Thus the objection admits of a fair and rational 
answer; and I have been the larger upon it, be- 
cause I judged it of great importance to clear 
it up thoroughly; but more ])a.ssages upon this 
subject are needless, or I could easily produce 
great numbers, that speak the same purpose. 

Friend. You have seemed to come over this 
objection rather better than 1 could have expect- 
ed, but I must beg leave to ask you, v/hat you do 
v/ith that passage; Psal. xhx. 19. "He shall 
go to the generation of his fathers; they shall 
never see light?" 

Minister. I render the words gnad nalzahj 
^^until subdued and overcome, they shall not see 
the light, or until the age, or a certain period, 
they shall not see the light." The same words 
are used in Job, xxxiv. 36, where they are ren- 
dered "unto ihe end.''^ "Jily desire is, that Job 
may be tried never; or, may never be tried." 
This would be inconsistent with the nature of 
things, as well as a 'contradiction in the words 
themselves; for first to say, '-My desire is, that 
Job may be tried," and then to add words that 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 



221 



mean nerer, is quite ridiculous even to suppose; 
but render the words, unto a time ox period y'' or 
as they will bear, '^until he be subdued or over- 
come," and the meaning is both plain and be- 
nevolent; but to wish him tried forever, world 
without end, would be a most malevolent wish 
—and to wish him tried neveVy would be non- 
sense. 

Friend. This translation is very different from 
that which we commonly read, in which the text 
appears a very formidable objection indeed; for if 
they shall never see the light^ they cannot be 
restored. 

Minister. The word never is sometimes used 
in our translation, in such a manner as to oblige 
us to understand it in a limited sense, as has been 
proved before; Lev. vi. 1.3. ^^The lire shall 
ever be burning upon the alter, it shall never go 
out;" and in several other places. 

Friend. I must allow that the words you 
mention seem very strong and absolute, but 
the very reason of things obliges us to limit their 
meaning to a period or age; but where no such 
necessity appears we mu&t understand such 
words in the most absolute and unlimited sense. 

Minister. I think there is as abundant reason 
from Scripture to limit the time of punishment 
as anything whatever; as I trust will appear in 
the course of our conversation, for which pur- 
pose I shall be glad to hear all that you are able 
to urge against the doctrine of the Restoration. 

Friend. The next objection I shall bring is 
from Job. xxxvi. 18. '^Because there iswrath, 
beware lest he take thee away with his stroke; 
then a i^rcat ransom cannot deliver thee." Bv 



DIALOGUES 0^ THE 

which we understand, that after death there is no 
deliverence, no, not even by that great ransomy 
the blood of Christ. 

Minister. This would be one of the strong- 
est objections that you have advanced yet, if the 
words a great ransGm, had any allusion to the 
blood of the dear Redeemer^ and if it could be 
fairly demonstrated, that 'it can have no power 
over the dead ; but I apprehend, when you read 
and consider the text, context, and similar pas- 
sages, you will see that no such thing is intended. 

Job had frequently vrlshed for death in his 
trouble and anguish, (as many persons foolishly 
and wickedly do, that have never felt the tenth 
part of his afflictions) for which Elihu justly re- 
proves him, in these words ; Because there is 
w'rath, beware lest he take thee away with his 
stroke ; then a great ransom cannot deliver thee 
from death and the grave; from being cut off by 
the hand of heaven, justly provoked by the rash- 
ness: ^^Will he esteem thy riches?" Will he 
account thy great riches a ransom for thy life? — 
^' No, not gold, nor all tli^ forces of strength.'^ 
Yfouldest thou give ever so much of the precious 
ore to ransom thy life, it would be unavailable; 
or, shouldest thou trust in thy strength of body 
or mind? shouldest thofS^plead tlie readiness of 
thy wit, the strength and greatness of thy judge- 
ment, memory, and other faculties; thy l-^nevo- 
lence of disposition; thy useiidness in liic; thy 
numerous connexions; the great honors that 
await thee; wert tkou a monarch, and couldest 
thou command armies and valiant hosts, slrcrg 
and mighty; ail these things would be totally 
^isreu^xirde^ by God, if l.e^ provoked by thy rash- 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 0^3 

nessj should give thee thy wish, and issue the 
death warrant against thy hfe; therefore, con- 
sidering these things, " Desire riot the night (of 
death, and especially sudden death) when peo- 
ple are cut off in their place; and there is no 
remedy, no ransom, no discharge in that war; 
from which neither power, wisdom, might, rich- 
es, honors, wickedness, nor even virtue can de- 
liver. " Take heed, regard not iniquity;" do 
not sin in any wise, and especially do not rashly 
wish for death; which is very presumptuous and 
heaven daring; " for this thou hast chosen, rath- 
er than affliction." See Job, xxxvi. 18, 19, 20, 
*K This is evidently the plain meaning of the 
text, and is confirmed by Psalm xlix. 6, 7, 8, 9. 
— " They that trust in their Vv'ealth, and boast 
themselves in the multitude of their riches; none 
of them can by any means redeem his brother, 
nor give to God a ransom for him.: (For the re- 
demption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth 
for ever.) That he should still live for ever, 
and not see corruption." — But though the power 
of wealth, wisdom and strength, are not suffi- 
cient to buy a short reprieve from death; yet the 
power of God is able to ransom therefrom, and 
to redeem from the grave, or hell, as I have no- 
ticed before; and which is expressed in the last 
mentioned Psalm, in the following terms; But 
God will redeem my soul from the power of the 
grave; for he shall receive me," verse 15. And 
by the same parity of reasoning, that the power 
of the Highest is able also to redeem or ransom 
the bodies of men from the grave, after they 
hav^ perished there; he is able also to redeem 
souls from sin and nii^cry, if it be his pleasure; 



224 



DIALOGUES THE 



and by the blood of the Messiah's covenant, to 
send ibrth his prisoners out of the pit wherein is 
no water, not even a drop to cool the tongues of 
those who are tormented there. I have there- 
fore no doubt, but, the blood of Christ is able to 
redeem to the uttermost, and is sufficient to des- 
troy the power of sin, death and hell. JVothing 
in the text on which your objection is founded, 
can depreciate the merit of that cleansing, all- 
powerful blood, by proving that it cannot be ef- 
fectual to lost souls. 

Friend. But have you forgot that the Scrip- 
ture says, Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, 
do it with thy might, for there is no work, nor 
device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, 
whither thou goest. And if the tree fall toward 
the south, or towai*d the north; in the place 
where the tree falleth, there it shall be?" Eccl. 
ix. 10. xi. 3. 

Minisler. No; I have not forgot that such 
passages are found in the Bible; and 1 believe 
they were written with a desiscn to make us dili- 
gent, and wisely to improve our time and talents; 
and that we should be liberal in giving alms, 
which seems especially to be the meaning of the 
last, if we may judge by the connexion in which 
it is found, and without which I am, not able to 
say what it intends. But, in this case, they do 
not appear to me to be any thinor to the purpose, 
one way or the other; and yet no Scriptures are 
more frequently brought than these against the 
doctrine of the Restoration of all things; but 
commonly accompanied with some additions; 
such as — There is no repentance in the grave; 
nor pardon offered to (he dead." ^'And as deatii 
leaves us, so judgement linds u^?." — ^Vords that 1 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 



225 



have never found in the Bible; but were thej 
repeated ever so often, could not aifect this ar- 
gument; since the general Restoration cannot 
happen till long after the last judgement, and 
will not be wholly completed till the time of the 
creation of the new heavens and earth, wherein 
righteousness alone shall dwell. 

We all know, that the grave is a place of in- 
activity, where there is no v/ork, device, knov/1- 
edge, nor wisdom; and it is a state to which we 
shall soon be brought; and, therefore, we ought 
to be diligent and industrious now: but those 
v/ho believe in the immortality of the soul, will 
not undertake to prove from these words, that it 
has no knowledge, or wisdom, after it leaves the 
body; since many of them say, that the soul 
knows much more in one hour after that event 
takes place, than in the whole period of its ex- 
istence before. And as for those who believe 
that man dies wholly, aTid sleeps in the grave 
until the resurrection, they can never bring this 
text with any consistency against the final Res- 
toration of all men; because, let what will be 
the state of things in the grave, nothing can 
prevent our Saviour from raising all at last, and 
changing them finally for the better, if such be 
his pleasure. I might, therefore, just as w^el! 
attempt, from the vii and xiv chapters of Job, tQ 
prove, that there shall be no resurrection of the 
dead from their graves, notv/ithstanding the nu- 
merous promises of that grand event; as any 
person to prove, from these and similar passa- 
ges, that all men shrill not be finally restored; 
since what is said in those chapters seems ten 
times more against the former, than any thing 



226 



DIALOGUES OTS THE 



that can be urged from these is against the lat- 
ter. The doctrine of the general resurrection 
of the just and unjust; and a state of rewards 
for the former, and punishments for the latter, 
according to their works; and also the subjec- 
tion, final reconciliation, and reunion of all things 
in Christ, are all expressly revealed, and are 
made the subject of prophecies, threatenings and 
promises; and are all truths, that cannot be over- 
thrown by any reasonings, as they are plainly 
declared by God himself. 

The Scripture, in abundance of places, highly 
recommends liberality; and, in the most positive 
manner, assures the bounteous, that they shall 
be blest. I need not recite passages to prove, 
what is so universally known and confessed. 
Solomon, therefore, having given many ex- 
cellent precepts to direct us in other matters, 
comes to exhort us to be bountiful and liberal, in 
distributing to the necessities of others what 
God has blessed us withal; saying, ^'cast thy 
bread upon the waters; for thou shalt find it af- 
ter many days. Give a portion to seven, and 
also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil 
shall be upon the earth. If the clouds be full of 
rain, they empty themselves upon the earth; and 
if the tree fall towards the south, or toward the 
north; in the place where the tree falleth, there 
it shall be." Thereby intimating to us, that as 
certainly as these plain common observations are 
true, (than which nothing can be more so) shall 
they who bestow liberally upon the poor and 
needy, be rewarded; since God has promised 
and h-e will perform See, upon this subject, 
Deut. XV. 10, II.— Psal xli. 1,2, 3. cxii.— Prov. 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 227 



xi. 24, 25, 26. xiv. 31. xix, 17. xxii. 9.— St. 
Matth. vi. 3, 4. x. 42 —St. Luke vi. 38. xii. 33. 
xiv. 12, 13, 14.— 2 Cor. viii. 9.-1 Tim. vi. 17, 

18, 19 — and many other places. 

Solomon then goes on upon the same subject, 
and intimates to us, by two striking metaphors, 
that if we wait till no difficulties appear in our 
w^ay to hinder us from performing our duty, we 
shall never reap the blessing; and after giving 
us to understand that Goj3 has many secret ways 
of working, far above our comprehension, and 
can therefore bless and reward us in many ways 
out of our own siglit, or the view of others, and 
yet no less certainly than children are conceiv- 
ed, nourished, and receive life in the w^omb, 
we know not how; he comes to give us a warm 
and pressing exhortation, to be constant in doing 
good to all, according to our power; and to be 
so far from concluding that to be lost that we 
thus bestow, that we ought to consider alms as 
seed sown in a fruitful soil, and should, with pa- 
tience, wait for the glorious harvest, when, 
through the divine blessing, we may expect to 
reap an hundred fold. 

All this is plain and easy: but how any text in 
this beautiful chain, should ever have been 
thought to have any allusion to the state of souls 
departed, or brought as a proof that no alteration 
can take place after death, I cannot conceive. 
But, allowing it to have any relation at all to a 
future state, it cannot then in the least disap- 
prove, that very material changes may happen 
to souls in the spiritual world; since a tree cut 
down by its owner, lies not long in the same po- 
sition in which it falls, but is appHed to various 



2;23 DIALOGUES o:n the 

uses, according to its fitness and his pleasure. — 
But as this is nothmg to the purpose, I think I 
have taken too much pains here already; and 1 
should have said httle or nothing upon this part 
of the objection, were it not continually urged, 
as though the whole controversy turned and ter- 
minated upon this allusion, than Vvhich nothing 
seems farther from the meaning of the text; 
which, in its true sense, appears to be this — that 
as certainly as full clouds nuist empty themselves 
upon the terraqueous globe, and that everything 
is what it 15, and where it is, and no v/here else; 
and as a tree falling to the south, does not fall 
and lie to the north; and, vice versay so, v.ith 
the same certainty, shall liberality be blest and 
rewarded. 

Friend. I have nothing to object to v/hat you 
have said upon the text; it appears natural. I 
formerly thought it indeed, that as persons were 
laid in the grave, so they should rise, and that 
there could be no change after death; but I am 
fully convinced, that this belongs not to the sub- 
ject. Bat there is another passage, in the book 
of Ecclesiastes, (chap. ix. 4, 5, 6.) that I should 
be glad to hear your opinion of: — '^For to him 
that is joined to all the living, there is hope; for 
a living dog is better than a dead lion. For the 
living knov/, that they must die; but the dead 
know net any thing, neither have they any more 
a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. 
Also, their love, and their hatred, and their en- 
vy, is now perished; neither have they any more 
a portion for ever, in any thing that is done un- 
der the sun." 



Minister. It is evident that the v/ise man, ia 
this and many other of his observations, only 
considered things Vvith respect to the resent Hiie. 
without any regard to a iuture state. In this 
view, his declarations are consistent with truth; 
but in no other. Let the following serve as a 
specimen. — ''No uiun knoweth either love or ha-- 
tred, by all that is before them. All thhigs come 
alike to all; there is one event to the righteous 
and to the wicked; to the good, and to the clean, 
and to the unclean; to him that sacriiiceth, and 
to him that sacrificeth not; as is the good, so is 
the sinner; and he that s^veareth, as he that fear- 
etii an oath," ver. 1, 2.- IS'othing could possi- 
bly be more false than these observations, appli- 
ed to a future state, though they are generally 
true in this life: for if there are no future re- 
wards and punishments, no state of retributioo 
hereafter, there is an end to all religion. But 
he does not finally leave the matter so; but 
^ makes a most excellent conclusion to this book; 
saying. — 

"Let us hear the conclusion of the v/holo 
matter. Fear (or revere) God, and keep his 
commandments; for this is the whole Cyuiy of 
man. For God shall brinrj every vrork into 
judgement, with every secret thing v/hetheiMl be 
good or Vv'hether it be evil, chap. xii. 13^ 14. 

Thus it is plain, that a living dog is better, 
(more useful in tliis world) than a dead lion; 
which is no longer capable of doing good or evil; 
that a man when he dies, loses all hopes of en- 
joyment in this life, and is rendered incapable of 
exercising the functions of it any longer; has no 
more a portion in any thing belonging thereto. 
20 



^50 



DIALOC;UES ON THE 



Thus, in fine, all tlie observations that can be 
fairly made, upon this and similar passages, be- 
long entirely to the present state of things; and 
therelore, do not at all affiJii the argument, ei- 
ther one way or the otlier. 

Fnend. This is so plain, that nothing can be* 
more so; but our Saviour's words (St. John is, 
4.) deserve a particular consideration. '^I must 
work the works of him that sent me, while it is 
day; the night cometh when no man can work;" 
— which is explained commonly of the night of 
death, when no more works can be wrouglit. 

JM'uiisler. Our Lord was diligent in his labor, 
he constantly went about doing good; he was 
never idle; he ^vas in haste, till he had finished 
the work which his father had given him to do. 
In this he was — as in every thing else — a glori- 
ous pattern and example for us! And, O that 
we migiit follow him! Now we may feed the 
hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the na- 
ked, be eyes to the blind, feci to the lame; may 
take in the stranger, relieve the distressed, visit 
the sick, the fatherless, widows and prisoners in 
their afiliction; may bury the dead, and con- 
stantly perform works of benevolence and mer- 
cy, while we remain in this state of our exist- 
ence; which if we here neglect, we never can 
perform at all, and of consequence, never can 
obtain the rewards which are promised to the 
obedient; but as if is not the state of rewards 
and punishments that we are now discoursing 
about, but a state beyond — even the Restor- 
ation of all things; neither is the dispute about 
what men can do after this life, but what God 



UXl\ ERSAL RESTORATION. 



231 



can do, or what he has purposed to do with 
and tor tliem, in the ages to come, after the 
dreadful sentence is past; whether they shall 
be left under the same, ivhile God exist; or 
/ v.hether they shall ever be restored; or wheth- 
er they shall be annihilated; this, you know, 
is the state of the question; some hold the 
Jirsl and others the lust; but I am apt to think 
both these opinions are extremes, and therefore 
judge it safest to maintain the second, which I 
take to be the mediinn here. 

Friend. Indeed I am convinced, that no cir- 
cumstance preceding the general judgement, 
can afl^ect the argument; because we are inform- 
ed, that the condemnation of the wicked shall 
be at that day, when God will render to them 
according to their deeds, and will say to them, 
Depart froifi me, Sec. — But the following texts of 
Scripture form a strong objection to the univer- 
sal Restoration, which I would wish you well to 
consider. 

"The expectation of the wicked shall perish; 
and the hypocrite's hope shall perish. Whose 
hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be a 
spider's web. — He shall lean up-on his house, 
but it shall not stand; he shall hold it fast, but it 
vshall not endure. The heaven shall reveal his 
iniquity, and the earth shall rise up against him. 
The eyes of the wi(^ked shall fail, and they shall 
not escape; and their hope shall be as the giving 
up of the ghost. His confidence, shall be rooted 
out of his tabernacle, and it shall bring him to 
the king of terrors. For what is the hope of the 
wicked, though he hath gaitied, when God tak- 
eth avv'ay his soul r Will Gon hear his cry, when 



232 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



trouble cometli upon him? He that being often 
reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be 
destroyed, and that without remedy. When a 
v/icked man dieth, his expectation shall perish ^ 
and the hope of unjust men perisheth. Because 
1 hav^e called, and ye have relused; I have 
stretched out my hand, and no man regarded. 
But ye have set at nought all my counsei, and 
would none of my reproof; 1 also will laugh at 
j^our calamity, I v/ill mock when your fear com- 
eth. When your fear cometh as a desolation, 
and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind: 
when distress and anguish come upon you: then 
shall they call upon me, but I will not answer: 
they shall seek me early, but they shall not find 
-iiie; for that they hated knowledge, and did not 
choose the fear of Jehovah. Tiiey would none 
of my counsel; they despised all tny reproof. 
Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their 
own way, and be filled with their own devices," 
Prov. X. 28. Job, viii. 13, 14, 15. xx. 27. xi. 20. 
xviii. 14. xxvii. 8, 9. Prov. xxix. 1. xi. 7. 1. 24 
—31. 

These, and abundance of other similar passa- 
ges, declare the future state of the wicked to bo 
desperate, w^ithout hope; they and their hope* 
perish together, as the spider's v/eb; they have 
no hopes or prospect of being redeemed; they 
can look for nothing but judgement and fiery in- 
dignation, which shall devour them as stubble 
fully dry, and as thorns cut up shall they he 
burned in the fire. Solomon says. ^'The ex- 
pectation of the wicked is v/rath," Prov. xi. S3. 
^*As he loved cursing, so shall it come unto him; 
as he deliofhted not in blessinsr, so shall it be far 



UISIVERSAL RESTORATION. 



233 



from him. As he clothed himself with cursings 
like as with his garment; so shall it come into 
his howels like water, and Uke oil into his bones." 
Psal. cix. 17, 18. Indeed he can have no 
hopes, when he considers that he hath neglected 
m great a salvation all his life; that he hath set 
at nought God's counsels, despised his reproofs; 
that when his Creator called to him to turn, he 
hnd no ears to hear his voice; and therefore, 
when sorrow shall overtake, tho' he may cry, he 
shall not be regarded of God; and though hemay 
seek, he shall not find; the Master of the house 
liaving risen up, and shut to the door, all knock- 
ing for entrance is in vain, even though such 
were to plead for admittance in tlie most earnest 
manner, saying, ''Lord, Lord, open to us;" he 
shall answer, ''I know you not whence you are;" 
and though they may reiterate, and expostulate, 
saying, ''We have eaten and drank in thy pres- 
ence, and thou hast taught in our streets," he 
shall not be moved, but shall say to them, "1 tell 
you, I know you not whence you are; depart 
fron^L me, all ye workers of iniquity— There shall 
be weeping, and gnashing of teeth, when they 
shrill see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and 
all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and 
they tliemselves thrust out." St. Luke, xiii. 25, 
26," -27, 28.~See also St. Matth. vii. 21, 22, 23. 
XXV. 11, 12. 

Minister, These are awful warniiigs, indeed; 
and were they attended to as they ouglit to be, 
would be suflicient, one Vv'ould think, to deter 
men from their evil ways. I am glad that you 
have stated them in this most striking point of 
light; for though they form no real objection to 



234 



DlALCGUr:S ON THE 



my views of God's dealing v/ith men, as I un- 
derstand the Scriptures, they are an insuperable 
bar to the opinions of those who deny a future 
state of retribution, which I think impossible 
for them to ansv/er fairly. I shall, hov/ever, no- 
tice briefly, some things in this collection of 
Scriptures, in order that my sentiments may ap- 
pear in their true light. 

1. AH the hopes of the wicked, ungodly, and 
hypocrites, shall perish at their death. 

'Perhaps they hoped to have lived long, to 
have enjoyed health, wealth, pleasure, and all 
worldly good, for many years; to have seen 
their children for many generations, flourishing 
for a long tim^ on earth; but death destroys 
these hopes. 

The hypocrites might have hoped that they 
should have been accepted with God, on the ac- 
count of their birth, parentage, profession, rank 
among the people of God, observation of the 
externals of religion, &.c. ccc. all of which vain 
hopes do certainly perish at death. 

The profane and v/icked infidel, and practic- 
al atheist, might have hoped, either to have ceas- 
ed to exist, or to have found some way of es- 
caping the threatened punishment; but death 
destroys these hopes also. 

2. Whatever may be the final nitention of God 
towards these n^iiserable creatures, it is evident 
they are shut up in a state of keen tormenting 
despair, or dreadful suspence, and may be ful- 
ly persuaded that they shall never be released, 
of Vvhich it is likely they may not have even the 
most distant hope, or the least degree of knowl- 
edge — but, on the contrary, l)e in fearful expecta- 
tion of more terrible piniishuient hereafter. 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION^ £3^ 



3. As they have iived and died m sin, their 
destruction, or misery, is certain — and there is 
110 remedy that can prevent their experiencing 
the consequences of their crimes, and suffering 
the just punishment which shall he inflicted on 
them, according to their different deserts. 

4. They v/ho live and die in rehellion against 
God, will be eternally deprived of the glories 

honors of the kingdom of Christy which other- 
wise they mjght have possessed; will be exclu- 
ded from a share in the lirst resurrection, and w ill 
be exposed to suffer the torments of the second 
vdeath; which all must inevitably suffer, who re- 
.iiiain incorrigible till the great day of judgement. 

5. As God hath called, and they have refu- 
sed, it is but reasonable to suppose, that they in 
their turn, shall cry in vain yet nevertheless, 
though he may long delay, he may hear their 
cries, and deliver them at last. See Psal. cvii, 
13, 14, 15, 16. 

David, in his Psalm xxxlv|:h, says^ "The face 
of Jehovah is against them that do evil, to cut 
off the remembrance of them from the earth." 
Our translators not understanding, or not enter- 
taining an idea of the future Restoration, add, 
''^Tke righteous cry. and Jehovah heareth, and 
I delivereth them out of all their troubles." Where- 
as the Holy Ghost has put no such Vv^ords as 
ike ri^hteGus into the text there; but after say- 
ing, that the face of Jehovah is against them 
that do evil, to destroy them out of the world, 
and to make them forgotten, and their names to 
cease upon the earth, it adds, a w ord that signi- 
fies Cryingy and then says, ^'And Jehovah 
heareth, and delivcretii tlieui out of all their 



DIALOG L'ES THE 



troubles;'' See ver. 16, 17. This seems indeed 
like the dootri^iie of* the Bible, which elsewhere 
says, speaking of the notoriously wicked; O my 
Gjd, make them like a wheel; as the stubble be- 
fore the wind. As the tire burneththe wood; and 
as the flame setteth the mountain on fire; so per- 
secute them with thy tempest, and make them 
afraid with thy storm. Fill their faces with 
shame, that they may seek thy name, O Jeho- 
vah. Let them be confounded, and troubled 
for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and 
perish. And they shall know (as the Hebrew 
word signiiies, and as it is rendered in the old 
translation) that thou, whose name alone is Je- 
hovah, art the most hiffh over all the earth.'' 
Psal. Ixxxiii, 13, 18. Here we see, in a beautiful 
and clear manner, that one grand design of God 
in brin^iniJ iud<remeiits, and even what is called 
utter destruction, upon men, is that they may 
know that he is Jehovah, the true God; and 
there are but few intelligent Christians, but 
must in some measure, be able to conceive hopes 
concerning all those to v/hom the knowledge of 
God is promised. 

Though the threatenings in the prophecy of 
Ezekiel, both acrainst the Jews and other na- 
tions, are uncommonly severe; yet they frequent- 
ly close with this gracious promise — ''And they 
shall know that 1 am Jehovah," or something 
similar; as will evidently appear to those who 
will be at the pains of examining the following 
passages in that book: 

Ezekiel, vi. 7, iO, 13, 14. vii. 4, 9, 27. xi 10, 
12. xii. Jo, 16,20. xii. 9, 14, 21,23. xiv. 8. xv. 7. 
xvi, 62. XX. 12, 20, 2G, 38, 42, 41. xxii. 16. 



U^aVERSAL RESTORATION. 237 



xxiii. 49. xxiv, 24, 27. xxv. 5, 7, 11^ 17. xxvi. G. 
xxviii. 22, 23,24,26. xxix. 6, 9, 16, 21. xxx. 
8, 19, 25, 26. xxxii. 15. xxxiii. 29. xxxiv. 27. 
XXXV. 4, 9, 12, 15. xxxyI. 11, 23, 38. xxxvii. 6, 
13. xxxviii. 23. xxxix. 67, 22, 28. 

Friend. But does not piuiishment harden and 
inflame offenders instead of softening and hum- 
bling them? As v/e read Isa. viii. 21. ''They 
shall curse their King and their God, and look 
upward;" and inRev. xvi. 9, 10, 11. ''And niea 
v/ere scorched with great heat, and blasphemed 
the name of God, which bath power over these 
plagues; and they repented not to give him glo- 
ry. Ar^- they gnavv^'^^d their tongues for pain, and 
blasphemed the God of Heaven, because of 
their pains and their sores; and repented not of 
their deeds." 

Minister*, Punishment to a certain degree, in- 
flames and enrages, in a most amazing manner; 
but continued longer, and heavier, produces a 
contrary efiect — softens humbles, and subdues. 
When Ephraim of old, bemoaned himself, he 
said thus: — "Thou hast chastised me, and I was 
chastised, as a builock unaccustomed to the 
yoke; turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for 
thou art Jehovah, m^y God." Jer. xxxi. 18. The 
metaphor here used, expresses in a most lively 
manner the dilTerent effects of the same disci- 
pline, in its beginning, progress, and end. When 
a bullock first has the yoke laid on his neck, he 
frets, tosses, and rages exceedingly; but by a 
continuance of the dicipline, he is subdued, 
brought down, humbled and tamed, so as to 
become the most useful and gentle of animals. 
The sons of Zion are represented as lying "at 



238 



DIALOGUES OX THE 



the head of all the streets, as a wild bull in a 
net; full of the fury of Jehovah, the rebuke of 
God." Isaiah, li. '20. A wild bull, in a net must 
be a furious creature; so are men when first they 
arc brought under the Divine correction. But 
God knows how to correct men, in such a man- 
ner as to bring them to submit to him, in due 
time; and though some are so sunk in sin as not 
to be reformed, by any means in this life: yet 
that is no argument, that God is not able to sub- 
clue and bring down the proud and most rebell- 
ious in another state, by means that may be us- 
ed effectually there, though they could not be 
used here. God says, by the prophet to Israel, 
''Because I have purged thee, and thou wast 
not purged, thou shalt not be purged from thy 
filthiness any more till I have caused my fury 
to rest upon thee. So will I make my fury to- 
wards thee to rest, and my jealousy shall depart 
from thee; and I will be quiet, and will be no 
more angry.-' £zek. xxiv. 13. xvi. 42. Some 
sins are so daring and presumptuous, as to pro- 
voke God to threaten, that they shall not be 
purged away in this life; and, perhaps their ma- 
lignancy may be so great, that nothing that can 
he used here is able to subdue them. Thus, 
when God threatened his people, of old, with 
destruction, they turned his threatenings into 
ridicule; instead of weeping, mcurning, bald- 
ness, and girding with sackcloth, to which God 
called them; there was nothing but ''joy and 
gladness, slaying oxen, and killing sheep, eating 
flesh and drinking wine. — Let us eat and drink, 
for to-morrow we die. And it was revealed in 
mine ears, by Jehovah of Hosts, surely this 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 



iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye die,, 
saith Jehovah, God ot* Isreal." Isai. xxii. 12, IS^ 
14. 

Thus, punishments are designed for the hum- 
bling of the ])roud; but if they fail of answering 
that purpose, as administered in the present 
state, they will be continued and incresed in fu- 
ture periods, to such a degree, as shall bring all 
down in due time. Those pains which produced 
that rage, and blasphemy, which you mention- 
ed, were all poured out on hardened sinners ii* 
the present life; and were so terrible and severe 
as to produce those fearful effects, but not suf- 
ficiently so as to produce the contrary. 

That punishment, to a certain degree, produ- 
ces rage, t ut to a certain degree beyond, produces 
submission; may be illustrated by the following 
fact, as well as many others, of the same na- 
ture. 

In the former war between England and" 
France, there was one Mr.- , of Virgin- 
ia, who vras wagon-master-general in the army 
of the Provincials. He m as guilty of abusing 
his power, by frequently striking the soldiers 
with his wagon whip. Complaint being made,, 
a court martial was held, and he was sentenced 
to receive five hundred lashes: which senterce 
was executed upon him. When he first began 
to feel the lash, he was exceedingly enraged* 
and cursed tiiose who had thus sentenced him; 
swearing that if he lived to be released, he would 
kill them all, if possible; for that he valued not his 
life in the least, but would revenge this disgrace, 
by killing them, wherever he found them; and 
much more to the same purpo>se. But, before 



240 



DiALOGLES Q^S THE 



he had receiv€<3 half liis punishment, he de- 
clared, that he had not th^ least disposition to 
lift his hand against them; he saw clearly that 
they had acted right; tliat he had been entire- 
ly to blame; and that his punishment was just. 
After his correction v, as over, he was led quietly 
away, entirely cured of all his rage; from which., 
he was as much freed by his punishment, as ev-- 
€r an eiiect was produced by a cause. He 
was healed of his wounds, and,.! think, restored 
to his post. Some time after the war was over^^ 
he was passing one day over those mountains in 
Virginia, commonly called The Blue Ridg:e ; and 
there he met alone one of the men v/ho had: 
condemned him, in the court martial, to such a 
punishment. He put him in mind of it; and 
told him that it was now in his power to retaliate 
upon him. The other acknowledged that he 

was in his power; but added, "ISl , you 

know you did wrong, and deserved the pun- 
ishment you received; and if you kill me, I 
declare, that we did right in sentencing you to 
be whipped; I should do the same, were it to do 
again; and so v/ould you have done, had you 
been in my place." Mr. M acknowledg- 
ed the truth of it; and was so far from R^lfjliing his 
threatenings, that he surTeied him to go in peace, 
inghly eommendiDg hira for his conduct. Mr. 

M may be still living; he was a general 

in the American army during the late Vvar, and 
acquired great honor, for his valor and good 
conduct. 

This I think is an argument ad Iwminem. I 
have often observed instances of the same na- 
ture, in a less degree; and I think it must be ad- 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 



241 



mitted, that although a certain degree of punish- 
ment will inflame, harden and enrage; yet far- 
ther degrees produce quite contrary effects. Nor 
is punishment the only thing in nature that pro- 
duces contrary effects, according to the quanti- 
ty used; almost all things do the same, thus wa- 
ter with a little salt in it, will cause putrefaction, 
much sooner than perfectly fresh water; but let 
it be saturated with salt, and it will preserve 
bodies that are cast therein. A little salt cast 
on the earth is good manure, and causes fruit- 
fulness; but a greater quantity produces the 
contrary effect, by causing barrenness. A 
little wine refreshes, cheers, invigorates; but ta- 
ken to excess, stupifies and intoxicates. And, 
to mention no more instances, a little smattering 
of knowledge puffs qp the mind; but a greater 
degree, humbles and brings it down: From 
whence, 

" Drink deepy or never taste the spring ^ 

Friend. But let me ask you: when you view 
the miserable state of fallen men, the inveterate 
obstinacy of their wills, the total aversion that 
many have to God, and goodness, their confirmed 
habits of evil, their amazing love of vice, their 
opposition to every method taken to reclaim 
them, and a thousand other dreadful circumstan- 
ces, which you must have observed; are you 
not ready to despair of their recovery; not for 
any want of goodness in God, but through their 
total incapacity of ever being made better. 

Minister. I must confess, this objection has 
great weight; and I have oflen been ready to 
give up my own salvation, on account of the 
21 



242 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



evils of my own heart, which sometimes rise, 
and prevail in such a manner, as almost drives 
me to despair; and I can find no relief but by 
flying to Jesus, as my only refuge, and trusting 
in his promises; and the case is the same with 
respect to the Restoration of all men. My weak 
reason tells me, that it cannot be; that it is ab- 
solutely impossible, that such hardened rebels 
can be so changed to eternity, as to become 
willing and obedient subjects; but when faith 
prevails, it informs me, that the things which are 
impossible with men, are possible with God; that 
nothing is too hard for Jehovah; and that he 
hath said — " Behold I am Jehovah, the God of 
all flesh; is there any thing too hard for me?'' 
Jer. xxxii. 27. And the example of Abraham 
has often proved a great support to me in this 
case; "who, against hope, believed in hope, 
that he might become the father of many na- 
tions; according to that which was spoken, so 
shall thy seed be; and being not weak in faith, 
he considered not" the impediments, which, to 
the eye of reason, rendered the accomplishment 
of the promises improbable, if not impossible. — 
" He staggered not at the promises of God,, 
through unbelief: but was strong in faith, giving 
glory to God; and being fully persuaded that 
what he had promised, he was able also to per- 
flirm." Rom. iv. 18, 19, 20, 21. 

This is the only way I answer this oljjectlon 
to my satisfaction — God hath sworn, that to him 
every knee shaU bow, every tongue shall swear^ 
Isaiah xlv. 24. — That in the name of Jesxrs, ev- 
ery knee shall bow, of things in heaven, things 
on earth, and things under the earth; and that 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 



243 



every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is 
Lord, to the glory of God the Father, Phil, ii. 
10, 11. That it is the mystery of his will, ac- 
cording to his good pleasure, which he hath pur- 
posed in himself, in the dispensation of the ful- 
nes of the times, to gather together, or rehead, 
in one, all things in Christ; both which are in 
heaven, and which are on earth; even in him, 
Ephes. i. 9, 10. And having made peace 
through the blood of his cross, he is determined 
to reconcile all things unto himself ; whether 
things in heaven, or things on earth. Col. i. 20. 
— That he worketh all things after the counsel 
of his own will, Ephes. i. 1 1. That he will have 
all men to be saved, or restored, &. to come unto 
the knowledge of the truth, 1 Tim. ii. 6. That 
the Father loveth the Son, and hath given all 
things into his hands, St, John, iii. 35. And 
that Christ hath said, " All that the Father giv- 
eth me, shall come unto me; and him that Com- 
eth unto me, I will in no wise cast out." St. 
John, vi. 37. When I consider these, and many 
such like promises, which I find in the Scrip- 
tures; and that he that hath promised, is able to 
perform; hath wisdom, power and goodness, 
sufficient to accomplish all his words, how diffi- 
cult or impossible soever the matter may seem, 
to our carnal, vain and weak reasoning; J cast 
the whole of my concern upon him; judging 
that he is faithful, who hath promised, and that, 
in his own time he will fulfil all his purposes, and 
all his promises. But I confess to you, that it 
requires a faith, if possible, more strong than 
that of Abraham, to believe the doctrine of the 
Restoration steadfastly, in the midst of so much 



244 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



evil as prevails in the world, and which seems to 
render it impossible: but my only hope is in 
God. 

But, to encourage us the more, there are not 
only promises of what God will do, but exam- 
ples of what he hath done, recorded in Scrip- 
ture, as the cases of Manasseh, Nebuchadnez- 
zar, Mary Magdalen, Saul, and many of the 
murderers of our Lord, priests, and even Phari- 
sees, are left on record, as patterns of God's 
long suffering, power, mercy and love. And 1 
would advise those christians that doubt of the 
Universal Reconciliation of all things, to remem- 
ber St. Paul's words to the Collossians, on this 
subject, chap. i. 21. And you that were 
some time alienated, and enemies in your mind, 
by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled;" 
as a proof and example of his power to recon- 
cile all things. Let all remember that their own 
stubbornness; and then instead of reviling and 
deriding a truth which God has revealed, they 
will adore him, of whom, through whom, and to 
whom, are all things; who ^'doeth according to 
his will in the army of heaven, and among the 
inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his 
hand, or say unto him, what doest thou ?" Rom. 
xi. 36. Dan. iv. 35, 

Friend. But allowing that God has power to 
change the hearts of the vilest of men, is not 
the exercise of that power evidently limited? 
For I find it written in Rev. xxii. 11. He 
that is unjust, let him be unjust still, and he that 
is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is 
righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that 
IS holy, let him be holy still," By these words 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 245 

it seems to be intimated, that the characters of 
both the wicked and the righteous, shall at some 
period be so confirmed and fixed, as to admit of 
110 change or alteration. 

Minister. This appears to be a considerable 
difficulty, but can by no means overthrow the 
system of the Restoration, which seems estab- 
lished upon many gracious promises. The 
v/ords seem to refer to a particular period, even 
when the Lord shall come, and shew that his 
coming will not (as some suppose) change the 
characters of men; but that all shall continue 
for a certain time, in the same character as be- 
fore. But though he that is unjust, shall be un- 
just still; and he that is filthy, shall be filthy 
still— during the age of judgement; and shall 
have the dreadful curse pronounced upon him; 
for, '^If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, 
let him be anathema Maranatha;" that is, ac- 
cursed, the Lord cometh, 1 Cor. xvi. 22. Yet 
I trust I have proved, that the vilest shall be fi- 
nally changed; and consequently, that these 
words must be understood with some limitation. 
And thus though this text is plainly contrary to 
the opinion of those who suppose that all the hu- 
man race shall be admitted into the kingdom of 
heaven at the day of judgement, yet it may well 
be reconciled to the system laid down in these 
Dialogues; especially if it can be proved that 
similar expressions are used, where a limitation 
is supposed, or necessarily imphed. 

Friend. Yes; if you can find similar expres- 
sions used for limited times, it will be satisfactory. 

Minister. St. Paul says, 1 Cor. xiv. 38. 

But if any man be ignorant, let him be igno- 



246 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



rant." But we can hardly suppose that he 
meant without Umitation. So we read of the 
Jews, that God hath given them the spirit of 
shimber; eyes that they should not see, and ears 
that they should not hear, unto this day." And 
David saith; — " Let their table be made a snare 
and a trap, and a stumbling block, and a recom- 
pense unto them. Let their eyes be darkened 
that they should not see, and bow down their 
back alway," Rom. xi. 8, 9, 10. These express- 
ions of their remaining in a blinded, hardened, 
and reprobate state, are stronger than those — 
" He that is unjust, let him be unjust still, &c. 
for, instead of stilly the word alway is used; and 
yet we are informed, that this blindness in part 
has (only) happened to Israel, until the fulness 
of the Gentiles be come in: and so all Israel 
shall be saved." And tha-t ''God hath conclud- 
ed them all (or, shut them up together) in unbe- 
lief, that he might have mercy upon all," even 
all whom he had shut up, or concluded in unbe- 
lief And, as I observed before, David says; 

Fill their faces with shame, that they may seek 
thy name, O Jehovah. Let them be confounded 
and troubled forever; yea, let them be put to 
shame, and perish: that they may know that 
thou whose name alone is Jehovah, art the most 
High over all the earth," Psalm Ixxxiii. 16, 17, 
18. Many other similar passages might be men- 
tioned; but these may suffice, to shew, that often 
where the words let it^ or let thein 6e, in such and 
such a state, they only intend a certain period, 
until another dispensation takes place. As for 
righteousness, holiness, and happiness, they have 
quite a different foundation from sin and impuri- 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 247 



tj, as 1 have shewn before: and therefore, no 
arguments used in favor of the total destruction 
of evil, can, in the least, prove, that goodness, 
which is the divine essence, shall cease: but the 
contrary: and those who are firmly joined to the 
Lord, and have continued with him through the 
state of temptation, shall never cease to be right- 
eous, nor be separated from their Head, from 
whom they shall derive eternal life : for Christ 
hath said, Because I live, ye shall live also." 
St. John xiv. 19. 

Christ, at his coming, will bring every hidden 
thing to light, and shall take off all disguises: 
so that he that is unjust, shall appear unjust: and 
he that is filthy, shall be discovered: hypocricy 
shall be no more. The vile person shall be 
no more called liberal, nor the churl said to be 
bountiful," Isai. xxxii. 5. Then shall ye re- 
turn, and discern between the righteous and the 
wicked: and between him that serveth God, and 
him that serveth him not," Mai. iii. 18. The 
judgement of God is according to truth, and, is 
designed to make an entire discovery of all per- 
sons, and all secret things, that every mouth 
- maj be stopped, and all the world become guilty 
before God," Rom. iii. 19. But though judge- 
ment has its great use in discovering, laying 
open, convincing and condemning: and punish- 
ment in destroying, subduing and humbling: yet 
the powerful, saving grace of God, and the ope- 
ration of the Divine Spirit, must have the glory 
of restoring, or creating men anew: and the 
blood of Jesus must cleanse their souls from the 
guilt and pollution of sin. Evil must be des- 
troyed out of them: this is done by afflictions: 



248 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



and goodness must be restoi-^d: this is done by 
God's renewing power and grace. 

But the objection may be answered another 
way^ without any of this reasoning by consider- 
ing the subject comparatively. Thus; as God 
only is holy; as none are good but he, in an ab- 
solute sense; as he putteth no trust in his holy 
ones, and the heavens are not clean in his sight, 
and his angels he chargeth with folly; (See Job 
XV. 15. iv. 18.) and as all intelligences, compar- 
ed with him, are unjust and unclean; so, those 
who have lived and died in rebellion against God, 
und in the pollution of sin, may remain unjust 
and filthy, compared with the saints, those ves- 
sels of honor and glory, who have purged them- 
selves. ^'But in a great house there are not on- 
ly vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood, 
and of earth; and some to honor and some to 
dishonor. If a man therefore, purge himself 
from these (sins) he shall be a vessel of honor, 
sanctified and meet for the master's us€, and pre- 
pared unto every good work." 2. Tim. ii. 20, 
21, Here we may observe, that in our Lord's 
great house there shall be divers vessels of vari- 
ous kinds, yot all useful, but some more highly 
so than others: that honor and dishonor are com- 
parative terms: and that the way to become ves- 1 
sels of the highest honor at last, is to purge our- 
selves from iniquity whik on earth, by obeying 
the truth. For it must appear evident, from the 
nature of things, that there will always be an 
immense difi'erence between those who shall be 
kings and priests to God, and those who shall be 
€ubdued in the ages to come, so as to be sub- 
jects, but who shall not altain to that honor and 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 



249 



glory, which they shall have who suffer with 
Christ here, and shall be glorified with him here- 
after. 

Fnend. Since I have conversed with you I 
must acknowledge that many things have ap- 
peared in a different light from what they did 
before; and if I do not wholly embrace the doc- 
trine of the Restoration, I must allow that there 
is much more to be said for it than I could have 
immagined. But I have still some difficulties 
that 1 v/ish to propose. There is a terrible 
threatening which is indeed the last in the Bible, 
that I should be glad to hear ybur thoughts up- 
on, which is thus expressed, (Reve. xxii. 18, 19.) 
^'For I testify unto every man, that heareth the 
words of this prophecy of this book. If any 
man shall add unto these things, God shall add 
unto him the plagues that are written in this 
book. And if any man shall take away from 
the words of the book of this prophecy, God 
shall take away his part out of the book of life, 
and out of the holy city, and from the things 
which are v/ritten in this book." But I can al- 
most foresee how you will answer this; that 
though the plagues that are written in this book, 
shall be added, yet m.ercy shall finally rejoice 
against judgement; though a man's part may 
be taken out of the book of life, and he, in con- 
sequence, suffer the torments of the second 
death; yet, as a time will come, when there shall 
be no more death of any kind, neither sorrow, 
nor crying, nor any more pain; his Restoration 
may be certainly inferred; and though his part 
in the heavenly city may be forfeited, so that he 
may never become one of those who shall reign 



250 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



therein, nor yet have a constant dwelling there; 
he may, nevertheless, enter as a worshipper, and 
a subject of the great king; and may dirink of 
the water of life; feed on the fruits of the life, 
and be healed by its leaves; and be one of the 
happy inhabitants of the earth, which God v. ill 
create. 

Minister, Yes, my friend: but though this 
Scripture may be easily reconciled to the plan 
laid down in these dialogues; it contains such 
threatenings as are very terrible indeed: and 
should make us exceeding careful not to contra- 
dict what God hath here revealed, by adding vain 
interpretations of our own, contrary to the sense 
of the text: nor in any wise to explain away or 
weaken, the force of either the threatenings or 
promises, set forth in this wondrous book. The 
amazing torments which they shall feel that have 
these plagues added to them, and the dreadful 
loss which they shall sustain that have their part 
taken out of the book of life, and out of the holy 
city, cannot be even conceived: and it being 
possible to forfeit this glorious portion entirely, 
and for ever, made St. Paul warn the Hebrews 
in such a solemn manner as he doth throughout 
he whole epistle. — Oh, what affecting advice is 
the following!— Looking diligently, lest any 
man fail of the grace of God: lest any root of 
bitterness springing up trouble you, and there- 
by many be defiled: lest there be any fornicator, 
or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel 
of meat, sold his birthright. For ye know, how 
that afterward, when he w^ould have inherited 
the blessings, he was rejected: for he found no 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 251 



place of repentance, though he sought it careful- 
ly, with tears/' Heb. xii. 15, 16, 17. 

*^ Poor Esau repented too late, 

That once he his birthright despis'dj 

And sold for a morsel of meat. 

What could not too highly be prizM. 

*^ How gieat was his anguish, when told, 
The blessing he sought to obtain 

W as gone, when the birthright he sold^ 
And none could recal it again 

Thus, though Esau, as well as Jacob^ was 
blessed concerning things to come : (See Heb. 
xi. 20) yet their birthright, and the particular 
blessings connected therewith, he lost forever: 
and so it is possible that we may lose our parts 
in the holy city, or no such threatenings would 
ever have been made. For it is a maxim with 
me — that God never warns where there is no 
danger to fear: and never encourages us to 
hope, where there is no possibility of obtain-^ 
ing. 

As the glorious and universal deliverance of 
all men from the bondage of sin, and their ob- 
taining an inheritance in the new earth, was 
clearly pointed out by the great year of Jubilee^ 
under the law: in which every servant went out 
free, & every man returned to his possession, and 
to his family: (See Lev. xxv. 10.) So, the possi- 
bility of being cut off from the holy city, for ^ver^ 
was pointed out by that notable exception., ver. 
29, 30. ^^And if a man sell a dwelling»house 
in a wailed city, then he may redeem it with- 
in a whole year after it is sold: within a full 
year, he may redeem it. And if it be not 
redeemed within the space of a full year^ then 
the house that is in the walled city shall be es- 



252 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



tablished for ever to him that bought it, through- 
out his generations: it shall not go out in the 
Jubilee." 

Something similar to this may be found in 
Rev. iii. H. — ^'Behold I come quickly: hold 
that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy 
crown:" and the 5th verse is also worthy of 
consideration — ''He that overcometh, the same 
shall be clothed in white raiment: and I will not 
blot out his name out of the book of life: but I 
will confess his name before my Father, and be- 
fore his angels." — O, what promises are made 
to overcomers! That they shall eat of the tree 
of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of 
God : shall have a crown of life : and shall not 
be hurt of the second death: shall eat of the hid- 
den manna: shall have a white stone, and a new 
name, which no man knoweth, saving he that 
receivethit: shall have power over the nations, 
&LC. even as Christ received of the father: shall 
walk with him in white: shall be esteemed wor- 
thy to be companions and friends of God : shall 
be clothed in white: shall have their names en- 
rolled among the followers of the Lamb, as 
called, chosen, and faithful: shall be con- 
fessed by the Son of God, before his Father and 
the holy angels; shall be made pillars in the 
temple of God, and shall go no more out; shall 
have the name of God v/ritten upon their fore- 
he-ids, and the name of the holy city, New- 
Jerasalem and Christ's new, heavenly name: 
shall sit with him upon his throne, even as he 
overcame, and is set down with the Father, upon 
his throne: shall inherit all things: shall be call- 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATIOrs. 



253 



ed the sons of God: see Rev. ii. 7, 10, 11^ 17, 
26, 27. iii. 4, 5, 12, 21. xvii. 14. xxi. 7. 

The apostle assures us, that "If (we are) 
children, then (we are) heirs: heirs of God, 
and joint heirs with Christ: if so be that we suf- 
fer with him, that we may be also glorified to- 
gether." And then adds — ^^Forl reckon that 
the sufferings of the present time, are not wor- 
thy to be compared to the glory which shall be 
revealed in us." Rom. viii. 17, 18. When 
Christ, who is our life shall appear; then shall 
ye (his saints) also appear with him in glory." 
Col. iii. 4. ^'We know, that when he shall ap- 
pear, we shall be like him: for we shall see him 
as he is." I John, iii. 2. But let none of those 
v/ho believe themselves the heirs of this king- 
dom, &LC. dare to indulge themselves in sin, un- 
der a notion that God can never cast them off: 
as some do. 

A preacher whom I once knew, encouraged 
this wickedly presumptuous disposition so far, 
as, openly to say: ^'God cannot damn me: He 
can as soon cease to be God, as he can cast me 
off: even though I should sin ever so much. It 
1 should kill a man, he could not damn me: nay, 
if I should kill all the men in the v/orld, he can- 
not damn me."— This man v/as rigid in trifles, 
reli<iiously scrupulous in frivolous things, such 
as dress, &c. yet he made trafiic of the human 
kind, engaged in war, and performed acts of cru- 
elty and outrage with as little tenderness as may 
be imagined! He long bloated himself with a 
notion of God's peculiar favor — but near the close 
of his life, the displeasure of the Almighty com- 
ing visibly upon him, the rhapsGdist changed his 
22 



254 



DIALOGUES OX THE 



tone, and ex claimed, that God had forsaken 
him ! 

I v/ould advise all men, of that bold, presum- 
ing, selfeonfident spirit, to read and consider well 
those words, in Jer. xxii. 24. ^''As I live saith 
Jehovah, though Conia/?, the son of JehoiaMm, 
king of Judah, were the signet upon my right 
hand; yet I would pluck thee thence." 

Consider, first, w'ho speaks, Jehovah: He 
not only speaks, but he confirms his threatening 
with an oath; and because he could not swear 
by no greater, he sware by himself, by his own 
life; ''As I live, saith Jehovah, tho' Cojiiali^the 
son of Jehoiakwiy king of Judah," though he 
is of the family of David ^ with vvhom I have 
made an everlasting covenant, ordered in all 
things, and sure; and though he is anointed king 
over my people; I w^ill not spare him; yea, 
though he ''were the signet upon my right hand; 
yet would I pluck thee thence." Signets, upon 
tlTe hands of ancient Persian monarchs, were 
those seals vAth which their decrees were sealed 
and confu'med; so that no m.an could reverse 
them. Now, God declares, that if this man 
was ever so dear, and as necessary, to him, as 
the signet on the right hand of a king is to its 
ov^^ner; that though he was not able to govern 
his kingdom without his assistance; though he 
had been the dearest and most useful thing; he 
would entirely cast him off, for his transgression. 
. And how^ much more so, if it be considered, that 
no man is necessary to God; that man can- 
not be profitable to him; that neither our wick- 
edness can hurt him, nor our righteousness ben- 
efit him: (See Job, xxii. 9, 3. xxxv. 6,7, 8. Psal. 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 



255 



xvi. 2, 3.) Aad he threatens to punish the only 
family tha,t he had known on the earth, for ail 
their iniquities, Amos, iii. £. What iiave not 
those to fear, who have been placed in high sta- 
tions, entrusted w^ith precious treasures, great 
abilities, opportunities, &c. and have abused 
them! — Let such read, aad s'erif)u:^ly consider; 
Luke, xii. 42, 48. Matth. xxiv. 45--15. 2 Pet. 
ii. 20, 21, 22. 

Friend. These considerations are, on one 
hand glorious and sublime, beyond conception; 
and, on the other, terrible heyond description. 
Bat some say, that if they are only admitted in 
to the kingdom of God, and are not cast into the 
lake of fire, it is the highest of their ambition; 
that they aever aspire to be kings and priests; 
nor to obtain a crown, throne, sceptre, &c. 4.rid 
others say, that if they are ever, to all eternity, 
to be delivered from th^ir misery that it is a mat- 
ter of little consequence to them whether they 
are followers of Christ here, or not. 

Minister, These kind of reflections are fre- 
quently thrown out by the enemies of the Res- 
toration, to cast an odium upon the doctrine 
But if they w^ere to hear a man say;.. ^^If I am 
just sufiered to enter into this kingdom, and am 
not condemned as a rebel, it is ail I wish; 1 de- 
sire neither the riches, honors, pleasures, con- 
veniences, nor even the necessaries that many 
of the inhabitants enjoy; all I ask is to be ex- 
empted from the pain and shame of public pun- 
ishment." And another v/as to add — ''I can 
see little or no difference between being made 
hier apparent to the crow^n, possessing all the 
privileges, honors, dignities, &c. of a prince of 



256 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



the blood j and being hanged, drawn, and quar- 
tered, for high treason; since even the punish- 
ment, painful and shameful as it is, must come 
to an end;" I ask, would they not esteem both 
these men in a state of insanity, or vrorse; en- 
tirely devoid of ail sense and reason? Yet, this 
unreasonable language, is not worthy to be nam- 
ed in the same day with that which you mention- 
ed. The difference is so great I cannot find 
language to express it. I therefore consider all 
such persons as madmen, Vvith whom it is not 
worth v/hile to reason; who understand not ^\hat 
they say, nor whereof they affirm. 

Friend. So they appear to me. But the 
system you have laid dovvm appears equally cal- 
culated to check presumption and despair, and 
to cure all such spiritual madness; provided that 
they will attend to it. — But what will you say to 
the doctrine of annilulaiionl That may not be 
liable to the same objections as endless damna- 
tion; and so the wicked may be punished with 
everlasting deslruciion, and destroyed, soul and 
body, in hell; and yet, at last, all beings that are 
in existence may be made happy. The Scrip- 
ture seems, in many places, to favor this idea; 
and the works of nature seem to confirm it. For 
instance; many fruits and animals perish, before 
they arrive at perfection; and why may it not be 
so with the souls and bodies of men? They 
are no where said to be raised to corruption, or 
immortality; but to be destroyed, to be cast in- 
to the lake of fire, to be burnt up, root and 
branch; to be consumed, devoured, burnt up 
as chaff, thorns, ^c. I need not mention par- 
ticular texts; because the general part of tho 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 



^57 



tlireatenings in the Scriptures run in that style. 
And I have sometimes of late reasoned with mj- 
selFj that the second death must end either in 
the Restoration or annihilation of those who 
were cast therein; for there seemed something 
in endless misery, that surpassed my behef, at 
times. But I could not satisfy myself whether 
the wickedUvould be finally restored to some de- 
gree of happiness, or totally destroyed; and 
was apt to think the latter, as it seemed a strange 
figure of speech to call deslructioUj Restoration 
• — Pray, have you ever thought upon this mat- 
ter.? 

Minister. There are but three possible things 
that can befal those that are cast into the second 
death; ^lih^x endless misery ^ total amiihilaiion or 
Resloration; a fourth cannot be thought upon; 
and but one of these can be true. JN^ow, where 
there are only three possibilities, of which only 
one can be true, and one must be true; there 
are these two ways of discovering the truth; 
lirst, if two of the propositions are proved to be 
absurd, the third must stand: 2dly, if one be 
proved true, the others must fall to the ground 
of consequence. I have taken the second meth- 
od; and having shewed that the doctrine of the 
Restoration is not absurd, and therefore that it 
is true; consequently, the others are false. — But, 
besides this way of arguing there are three cir- 
cumstances which prove to my satisfaction, that 
armihilation is not a truth. 

1. That at the very time that the wicked arc 
destroyed, they are said to be tormented with 
fire and brinistone; and that they have no rest, 
day, nor night, and the continuance of this is 
22* 



^58 



DIALOGUES OIN THE 



for no short tinriGj (as would probably be the case 
if the intention of God was only to destroy them 
out of being) but for the age of a^es. Rev. 
xiv. 10, 11. 

2. They are put to shame and perish, that 
they may know the Lord as I have noticed be- 
fore. See Psal. xxxiv. 16. 17. Ixxxiii. 16, 17, 
18 — and the observations I have made upon 
these passages in tlie dialogues. 

3. But that on which I dare venture the 
whole cause, is, that God hath absolutely promis- 
ed to restore and bring again those whom he 
hath utterly destroyed. 

Friend, Can you prove that? For if you can, 
it will settle the whole controversy. 

Minister. I trust I can, in many instances. 
But I will fix upon one that is full to the purpose, 
and is unexceptionable; and that is the case of 
Sodom, and her daughters, Gomorrah^ Jldmah, 
and Zeboim; who, ''giving themselves over to 
fornication, and going after strange fiCsh, arc 
set forth for an example, sufiering the ven- 
geance of eternal fire," Jude 7. 

As they are set forth for an example in their 
punishment, so also in their restoration; for we 
may certainly argue, that if any of the human 
race shall be annihilated, the inhabitants of 
Sodom, Gomorrah, Sec. v/ill be; as they were 
condemned with an overthrow, and made an ex- 
ample to those who should after live ungodly. 
2. Pet. ii. 6. But these wicked nations shall 
have their captivity returned; shall return to 
their former estate; and shall be received by 
Jerusalem, as daughters in the everlasting cov- 
enant: Jeruscdem. and her danghters, more wick- 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATIO:^. 



^359 



m themselves, than Sodom and her daughters, 
shall be restored at the same time; shall remem- 
ber their ways and be ashamed; shall never open 
mouth any more to glory over the meanest of 
mankind; v/hen the great Jehovah shall be pa- 
cified towards Jerusalem^ for all that she has 
done, and towards Sodom and Samaria, for all 
that they have done also, inasmuch as they shall 
return from their long captivity, and be given to 
Jerusalem for daughters: See Ezek. xvi. 53, 55^ 
61,63. 

Now, by Sodom and her daughters being re- 
turned from their long and dreadful captivity, 
we must understand one of the three things: ei- 
ther, first, the return of their descendants; or, 
secondly, the restoration of the land whereon 
the cities stood; or, lastly, the restoration of 
those very persons who were destroyed. 

It cannot be the first; for there are none of 
their descendants remaining on earth; all were 
destroyed by fire and brimstone; none of the 
inhabitants escaped, Lot and his daughters ex- 
cepted; who were only sojourners, and were the 
descendants of Terah and relations to Abraham. 

As it cannot be the first let us try the second. 
A very ingenious gentleman supposes, that in 
the time of the Millennium, the Dead Sea shall 
be turned into land, and shall again become a 
beautiful well watered plain, and be given to the 
posterity of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob: For he 
argues, and seemingly very justly, that as God 
promised Jlbraham all the land which he could 
see from the place where he then stood; (see 
Gen. xiii. 14, 15, 16, 17) and as the plain of 
Sodom was in sight, it was included in the grant: 



^60 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



and though the Dead Sea now occupies the 
place where those cities stood; yet God's prom- 
ise cannot fail; and therefore, in the Millennium, 
the Dead Sea shall be swallowed up, and the 
place shall become a fruitful plain. But whoever 
will read Ezek. xlvii. 8, 9, 10, 1 l^may plainly see, 
that the waters that shall issue out from under 
the threshold of the holy house, shall be brought 
into the Dead Sea; and shall so heal those dead- 
ly waters, that they shall become fruitful, and 
bring forth fish in great abundance; exceeding 
many; like the great sea, which is now called 
the Mediterranean ; which fish shall be more use- 
tul for food, to the innumerable inhabitants that 
shall then be in that happy country, than all the 
vegitables that would grow there, even though 
the whole place was turned into a fruitful gar- 
den. 

Friend. But are you certain, that by the sea^ 
is meant the Dead Sea, or Lake of Sodom l 

Minister. Yes. 1. Because all the other 
waters in those parts, produce great plenty of 
excellent ftsh; and therefore, need not healing. 
2. Because fishers shall stand upon the banks of 
the sea, from Engedi even unto Eneglaim, places 
that are well known to be contiguous, to the 
Dead Sea; one of which is nearly at the north- 
cast corner, the other at the west end of the 
same. 3. The marshes, and the miry places 
thereof, shall not be healed; but shall be given 
to salt, as specimens of vAvdt the v» hole is at this 
time; which barren and deadly spots shall re- 
main, as standing evidences of the truth of 
Scripture, and the exact fulfilment of prophe- 
cv. 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 



261 



Thus, as Sodom cannot be restored in her pos- 
terity, there being none remaining on earth; 
neither shall the Dead Sea be turned into land, 
in the Millennium; it follows, as the only remain- 
ing sense of the return of Sodom's captivity, 
that those very inhabitants, who were destroyed 
by fire and brimstone from heaven, shall be re- 
stored to a state of felicity. And thus, both the 
doctrine of annihilation and endless damnaliony 
fall to the ground at once. 

Friend. But as it is the second death, after 
the day of judgement, that is to destroy the bod- 
ies and souls of the wicked in hell; perhaps, the 
inhabitants of Sodomy Samaria, and Jemsalem, 
may be restored before that period, and may not 
be cast into the lake of fire. 

Minister. It is evident by our Saviour's words, 
(for we must not contradict any part of the 
Scriptures) that this will not be the case; for ho 
saith, that it shall be more tolerable for the land 
{thai is, the inhabitants) of Sodom, in the day of 
judgement, than for the cities where his gospel 
was preached, and his miracles wrought, and yet 
the inhabitants remained impenitent: See St, 
Matth. xi. 24. x. 15. St. Mark, vi. 11. St. Luke, 
X. 12. From all which passages it is evident, 
that the inhabitants of Sodom will be condemned 
in the day of judgement, and punished in the 
lake of fire; and though their misery will not be 
so great as that of the inhabitants of the cities 
where our Saviour preached, and performed his 
mighty works; yet they will be miserable in that 
day; and, consequently, the return of their cap- 
tivity is not to be expected, till after the creation 
of the new earth. Therefore, it is plain, that 



^52 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



the lake of fire is not designed to annihilate 
those who are cast therein: since all that arc 
not found written in the book of life, at the day 
of judgement, will be cast into the lake of fire. 
They whose names are in the book of life, will 
be happy. The inhabitants of Sodo}n will be 
miserable, in some degree; therefore, will not 
be found written in the book of life; consequent- 
ly, will be cast into the lake of fire. They will 
be restored; their captivity shall be returned; 
therefore the lake of fire shall not annihilate 
them. They are set forth for an example in 
their punishment; and consequently, in their 
Restoration. — I need not pursue this argument 
farther. It appears evident to me; and till it 
be fairly answered, I shall add nothing more. 

Friend. I lately read a sermon written by one 

Mr. B , in which the writer brings many 

strong reasons for the eternity of hell torments, 
most of which have already been mentioned and 
answered in these Dialogues; but he makes use 
of one which has not yet been brought under 
our consideration, which is, that the damned are 
under the necessity of constantly committing 
fresh sin, and therefore as they will always con- 
tinue to sin against God, so of necessity their 
punishment can never cease. Have you ever 
thought of this ? 

Minister, Yes, I have frequently heard it 
mentioned, but as it appears totally void of all 
foundation in the Scripture, it hardly deserves 
any notice. The objections that I feel myself 
concerned to treat with seriousness and respect, 
and candidly to answer, are those which appear 
to be drawn from the book of divine Revelation; 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATIOK. f 

but if I must attend to all those which the ingen- 
uity of men might raise against the doctrine of 
the Restoration, I should not only have a very 
hard task, but should never know when I had 
done, and besides the discourse would dwindle 
into trifling and conjectures, very unsuitable to 
the nature and importance of such an av^ful se- 
rious subject. I must observe, that this objec- 
tion is nothing but a rash ungrounded assertion, 
or bold conjecture, without the least foundation 
either in Scripture, or reason, and if I was to 
assert just the contrary, I cannot see why my 
assertion would not be a sufficient answer. iSTev- 
ertheless, lest it should be thought that any ob- 
jection can be raised, that cannot be fairly an- 
swered, and that I, knowing the strength of this, 
would willingly evade it, I will say a few words 
upon it. The Scriptures universally hold forth 
the idea, that men will be judged, condemned, 
and punished according to the deeds done in the 
body. God will render to every man according 
to his deeds." Rom. ii. 6. '^For we must all 
appear before the judgement seat of Christ, 
that every one may receive the things done in 
his body, according to that he hath done, v/heth- 
er it be good or bad." 2. Cor. v. 10. 

And that servant which knew his Lord's 
will, and prepared not himself, neither did ac- 
cording to his will, shall be beaten Vvith many 
stripes; but he that knew not, and did commit 
things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with 
few stripes," St. Luke, xii. 47, 48. — These, and 
all the passages that speak of future punishment, 
constantly hold it forth as a just retribution for 
the evil deeds done in this life ; but never inti- 



564 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



mate any thing of what this objection holds forth , 
of punishment being continued ad iiifinitum for 
crimes committed hereafter. Besides, it is plain 
that punishments or corrections are intended to 
stop men from sinning, and under the divine 
agency to take away their sins. ^'By this there- 
fore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged; and 
this is all the fruit to take away his sin,'' Isai. 
xxvii. 9. This is universally allowed to be the 
design of troubles and sorrows in the present 
life and why not in the next state also ? The Scrip- 
ture says nothing to forbid ths idea, but much to 
encourage it; particularly that awful passage 
where the prophet says, and it was revealed in 
mine ears by Jehovah of Hosts, surely this ini- 
quity shall not be purged from you, till ye die, 
saith the Lord God of Hosts." Isai, xxii. 14. 
If then iniquity shall be purged away after 
death, it is certain that men shall not always con- 
tinue to sin in a future state, for they must cease 
to commit iniquity, before it can be purged away. 
And though their punishments may at first cause 
them to rage, (as we see is frequently the case 
in this world) yet they continue until the most 
stubborn shall be entirely subdued and humbled. 

Friend, There is another argument of this 
same kind, viz. that is not founded upon anv 
particular text of Scripture, which is directly 
contrary to the one you have been answering, 
which I have formerly thought unanswerable in 
favor of the doctrine of endless punishment, 
which is the infiniiy of sin, being against an infi- 
nite object, containing iniinite hatefuiness, and 
justly therefore deserving infinite punishment. 
Sin is a crime of infinite magnitude, because 



UNI VE RS A L K ESTOR ATI ON, 



265 



God 19 a Being of intinite majesty and perfec- 
tion. — Every crime justly demerits punishment 
proportioned to its malignity ! and consequently 
every offence against God demerits infinite pun- 
ishment. No mere creature can ever suffer 
an infinity of punishment in any limited duration. 
It follows therefore, that a sinner deserves to be 
eternally punished. Farther, every man is un~ 
der infinite obligations to devote himself to the 
service of God, his infinitely |g[:lorious Creator^ 
Preserver and Benefactor. To viohite an infi- 
nite obligation is to commit a crime of infinite 
malignity. A crime of infinite malignity, de- 
serves infinite punishment. Can it ever be prov- 
ed then that everlasting, or endless punishrr^nt 
is not the proper desert of a life of sin.^ 1 have 
often said, that this argument, trite and common 
as it is, never v/as, nor ever would be fairly an- 
swered: nevertheless, I am v/ilHog to hear what 
you have to say upon it. 

Minister. As this argument, is often urged, as 
of the greatest weight, and as you have stated 
it in its greatest possible force, I shall endeavor 
to answer it fairly and particularly. 

If sin is infinite, then we most ascribe to it 
one of the perfections of the Deity, which strikes 
me as something absurd, if not something worse; 
sin, a privation, an act of a worm, infinite? Ac- 
tions must, in my opinion take their denomina- 
tion from the actors, and' not from the objects. 
Infinite actions, or actions of infinite magnitude 
require infinite power to perform them. If sin 
is of infinite magnitude, goodness is more so, as 
deriving a power from God to the peformanco of 
it. But if you grant that David spoke in the 
23 



PIALOGI ES ON THF. 

name of the Mediator ia Psalm xvi, yon may be 
at once furnished with a proof, that even good- 
nesSj in the highest state in which it ever was ex- 
iiibited in the world, was not considered asofin- 
fniite magnitude by the great performer. ''Thou 
hast said unto Jehovah, Thou art my Lord; my 
goodness extendeth not to thee. But to the 
saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, 
in whom is all my delight," verse 2, 3. If acts 
of goodness were of infinite magnitude they 
must extend to God, but the speaker, in these 
words, be he who he m.ay, David or Christ, was 
careful to let us know that he did not conceive 
his acts of goodness infinite. And if acts of 
goddness are not infinite, it v/ould be absurd to 
call evil actions infinite, which proceed wholly 
from the creature. 

I grant indeed that there is a passage of 
Scripture which mentions the word infinite as 
belonging to sin and iniquity, but then it is men- 
tioned in such a connexion as shov/s it to be us- 
ed as Josephus frequently m.entions it, for a very 
great multitude. And thus it is used by many 
good authors, who certainly do not mean to use 
it in the first and proper sense of the word. The 
.sacred w^riter, in the passage alluded to, takes 
particular care to guard us against any such 
idea, as though sin was of infinite magnitude, or 
even virtuous and righteous actions, which ap- 
proach far nearer to infinity, as having their 
source from the fountain of infinite goodness, 
l^^or Eliphaz says, '* Can a man be profitable 
unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable 
unto himself? Is it any pleasure to the Al- 
mighty that thou art righteous? Or is it gain 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATiON, 



261 



to him that thou raakest tL'j ways perfect? 
Wiii he reprove thee for fear of thee? Will he 
enter with thee into judgement? Is not thj 
wickedness great? And thine iniquities infi- 
nite?'' Job, xxii. 2, 5. And language very 
similar to the above is used by Elihu, If thou 
sinnest what dost thou against him? Or if thy 
transgressions be multiplied, what dost thou unto 
him? If thou be righteous, what givest thou 
him? Or what receiveth he of thine hand? 
Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art, and 
thy righteousness may profit the son of man,'' 
Job, XXXV. 6, 7, 8. 

These expressions, if they teach any thing, I 
shouW think, expressly declare, that no actions 
of men can by any means be of infinite magni- 
tude, in the sense in which we commonly under- 
stand that word; though their numbers and mag- 
nitudes may be so great as to be styled infinite, 
as the word is sometimes used. 

You assert in consequence of your ideas of 
infinite sin, that every orFence against God de- 
merits infinite punishment. If the case be so, 
does it not tend entirely to take away the distinc- 
tion which God hath made between sins of in- 
firijiity and sins of malice, sins of ignorance and 
sins of wilfulness, lesser and greater sins? All 
sins are ofiences against God, and if every of- 
fence against God is of infinite magnitude, 
how can any be greater? and thus the distinc- 
tions are entirely destroyed, and, all sins will be 
esteemed equal, contrary to the whole tenor of 
the Scriptures. 

If every offence against God demerits infinite 
punishment, then it will follov/, that God cannot 



£68 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



render to any according to their ways, nor pun- 
ish them as their iniquities deserve, unless they 
are doomed to endless misery; what then will 
become of all those threatenings where God 
threatens to punish people for all their iniquities, 
and yet to shew favor to them aiterwards? This 
is impossible upon your plan, for none can ever 
receive all the punishment due to their sins, dur- 
ing numberless ages. Yet if the word of God 
be true he can deal with transgressors as they 
have done, and yet be gracious to them after- 
wards. ''For thus saith Adonai Jehovah, I will 
even deal. with thee as thou hast done, which 
hast despised tlio oath in breaking the covenant. 
^Nevertheless, I will remember my covenant with 
thee in the days of thy youth, and 1 will estab- 
lish unto thee an everlasting covenant. That 
thou may est remember and be confounded, and 
never open thy mouth any more because of thy 
shame, when I am pacified towards thee for all 
tliat thou hast done; saith Adonai Jehovah." 
Ezek. xvi. 59, GO, '63. 

Here is an instance to the purpose of those 
whose sins were of the deepest die, and to whom 
God threatens to deal as they had done, and to 
punish them for all their numerous and aggrava- 
ted transgressions, and yet to remember mercy 
for them afterwards, and to be paciiied tov>^ard3 
them for all that they had done. All which 
things would be absolutely impossible, according 
to your ideas. In many other parts of Scrip- 
ture God promises to render to transgressors ac- 
cording to their Vvorks and ways, and yet to be 
afterwards gracious unto them. And in one 
place, at least, where God is declaring the grea^ 
mercies which he v.'ill manifest unto the children 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 



269 



of Israel in retariug theiii to their own land, and 
causing them to dwell safely therein he says^ 
^'And iirst, I will recompense their iniquity, and 
their sin double; because they have defiled my 
land, they have filled mine inheritance with the 
carcases of their detestable and abominable 
things.'' Jer. xvi. lB. What do you think of 
this.^ If every oiTence is of infinite magnitude, 
and deserves infinite punishment, which can 
never be fully executed, then hov/ can God pun- 
ish a people for all their iniquities, and do to the 
greatest sinners as they have done, yea, and 
recompense their iniquity, and their sin double 
first, and then be gracious unto them, and love 
them, and be pacified tovv^ards them afterwards? 
And the prophet Isaiah says, '^Comfort ye, com- 
iort ye my people saith your God. Speak ye 
comfortably unto Jerusalem, and cry unto her, 
that her vv'arfare is accomplished, that her iniqui- 
ty is pardoned; for she hath received of the 
Lord's hand double for all her sl\s." Isai. 
xl. i, '2, Here a fact is said to be accomplish- 
ed, which upon your scheme can never be done 
to all eternity; for if every offence against God 
is of infinite magnitude, and deserves infinite 
juioishmenl, none can ever have received smp:!e 
for one of tlieir sins, lar less double for all. 

And therefore nothing can possibly ])c nioro 
evidently contrary to Scripture than your 
trite and common argument, that as every sin, 
is of infmite magnitude, so it justly demerits In- 
finite punishn}ent, vrhich as no mere crcc tare 
can bear, must necessarily subject all who fu*e 
recompensed according to th^'ir own doings to 
endless niiscrv. 

23^ 



^70 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



Besides, if I was to grant you, contrary to 
Scripture, reason, and common sense, that every 
offence is of infinite magnitude, and naturally 
deserves infinite punishment, how would you 
prove from that, the certainty of endless nisery ? 
Do you make nothing of the reconciliation which 
our Lord Jesus Christ has made for ail sinners 
and for all sins ? 

Let me ask you seriously, did not Christ make 
a full and complete oliering and propitiation for 
the sins of the w4iole world? Is it not certain 
that his merits were far greater tlian the demer- 
its of all mankind? Is he not the lamh of God, 
who taketh away the sin of the world? If Christ 
died for all men, without exception, as you grant, 
and removed ail their iniquities, and bore them 
away, and reconciled all to God by his death 
while they were enemies; much more as he has 
paid so great a price for their ransom, he will re- 
cover them out of their lost estate, & save them 
by his life. ^'Where sin abounded, grace did 
( or shall) much more abound. That as sin hath 
reigned unto death, even so might grace reign 
through righteousness unto eternal life, by Jesus 
Christ our^Lord.'' Rom. v. 20, 21. 

1 conclude, that let sin be ever so great, the 
grace of God is greater; and if you will have it 
that sin is of infinite magnitude, I hope you will 
not deny the propitiation of Jesus Christ, which 
he made for all sins, the same character. There- 
fore if you magnify sin, and insist upon the 
greatness of its demerit, I will endeavor to mag- 
nify the all powerful Redeemer, above it and 
speak of his power to redeem all the human race 



UNIVERSAL ri.l;:STORATION. 



for whom he shed his blood. And then jou wiil 
gain nothing in iavor of the doctrine of endless 
damnation, by all your arguments founded upon 
the infinity of sin. Christ being far more inxin- 
ite to save, than sin can be to destroy; and as he 
has undertaken to redeem and bring back those 
who were lost, there is no danger of his failing 
to perform it. 

Friend. I must confess that what you have 
said on this head entirely convinces me, that we 
cannot found the eternity of punishment, upon 
iniinity of sin; and you have given me more 
satisfaction upon many points in these conversa- 
tions than I ever expected to receive. I am in- 
deed at lengtli almost persuaded to receive your 
sentiments, though I once thought that it was 
impossible to answer all my objections yet you 
have gone far tow^ards it. Nay I cannot at 
present recollect any thing material, but what 
you have answered. I would not be too hasty 
in adopting this system, but after your example 
consider it w^ell. But there is certainly some- 
thing more grand, beautiful, and harmonious in 
this view, than can be found in any other 
scheme; for both the other systems end in dark- 
ness and black night, one in endless damnation, 
and the other in gloomy annihilation. But on 
your plan light rises out of obscurity, and a o;lo- 
rious day succeeds the darkest scenes. This 
view of things sets the Book of divine Revela- 
tion hi the most pleasing light, and appears, for 
aught any thing that I can see, consistent with 
the Divine perfections. But why, since you be- 
lieve the universal Restoration, do you not men- 



€172 DIALOG UE:i OX 

tion il more freelv and iuliy, in your public dis- 
courses? 

Jllinister. On the other hand, some ask mc, 
Why do you ever mention it at ail in your ser- 
mons; since it is not essential to salvation to be- 
lieve it? To them I give these answers. 

1. St. Paul declared to Timothy, that this 
Universal Gospel of God's being the Saviour, | 
or Restorer of all men, but es})eciaHy of those , 
that believe, was a faithful saying, and worthy 
of all acceptation; and that they labored and 
suffered reproach, because they trusted in God, 
as tlie universal Saviour. But he Vvas so lar 
from being ashamed of tliis belief, that he said 
to Timothy, ''These things coo:imcUKl and teach,'' 
1 Tim. iv. 9, 10, 11. And so am I determined 
to do, at proper opportunities: notvv'ithstauding 
tlie reproach and contempt aw aiting me for so 
doing. 

'2. Though it is frequeiitly said to be a matter 
of little or no consequence, if true'; yet if it be 
any part of the record God hath given of his 
Son, fas I think I have proved) v»e are in dan- 
srer of making him a liar, if we believe it not: 
See 1 John, ver. 9, 10, 11. 

3. Though you may be Christians, and not 
believe it; yet I cannot; though once I could 
also. But now the evidences- of its truth appear | 
so plain to my mind, that it woiikl be criniincil in I 
me not to believe it; and since 1 do believe it, " | 
^vould it not be highly dishonest in me to deny 

it? I have never done so yet, when asked; and 
God forbid, that I should be ashamed to publish, 
what he has commanded to be made known. 

4. I have commonly acted ^vicrclv on the de- 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 273 



fensive, and I never should, that I know of^ 
have preached it in public, or but rareiy, far less 
have written upon the subject, had it not been 
represented as a dangerous and destructive here- 
sy; and people been cautioned against hearing 
me, on that account. 

5. I have been frequently desired to preach 
upon the subject, expressly; and could not well 
refuse, without betraying a cowardly disposi- 
tion. 

6. I ask, Who is the best man; he who preach- 
es the truth contrary to his judgement, ibr inter- 
est, or to gain applause; or he that fairly speaks 
as he thinks, without disguise; although he knows 
that it will displease his best fiiends on earth; 
even upon the supposition that he errs in many 
points? If there be an heretic, in the world, it 
is the man who for the love of money or ap- 
plause, or through the fear of man, preaches 
that to others which he himself doth not believe. 
''He that is such, is subverted, and sinneth; be- 
ing condemned of himself" Tit. iii. 11. 

7. If we are to hold forth nothing to man- 
kind, but what all are agreed in, we must dis- 
course upon very few subjects; for I do not 
recollect so much as one, but what people either 
disagree about the thing itself, or the manner of 
explaining and holding it; no! not even the be- 
ing and perfections of God; nor any point of 
doctrinal, experimental, or even practical re- 
ligion. 

8. We are to endeavor to teach mankind 
what they know not, as well as to confirm them 
in what they are ah^eady taught; should keep 
back nothing that may be profitable to them; 



274 



DIALOGUES O^^ THE 



should give meat to strong men, as well as milk 
to babes, and should not shun to declare the 
whole counsel of God. We ought to justily the 
ways of God to men, to shew the necessity and 
liarmony of Divine Revelation, and take pains 
to convert iniidels; all v> hich thing.s are more 
promoted by this view than any other. 

As to your question, why I do not dwell mora 
upon it? I answer: 

1. There are a thousand otlier subjects in the 
Bible, besides this; and all deserve considera- 
tion, according to their weight and importance. 

2. I have an utter aversion to going always in 
the saaie round of matter or manner; and, there- 
f jre I frequently vary in both. 

3. There are many other subjects of more 
present importance than the belief of this; such 
as repentance, faith, hope, love, obedience. Sec. 
and therefore ought to be more frequently insist- 
ed on, in proportion to their present use. 

4. There are many scenes of providence and 
grace to take place in the universe, before the 
general Restoration; such as the Millennium, the 
calling of the Jews, the universal spread of the 
gospel througli the earth, &c. These things 
are much nearer, and therefore the Scripture 
speaks more of them; and what God speaks 
most of, in his v/ord, we should discourse of 
most to the people. 

5. This doctrine, though it may have its use 
in converting men; and certainly enables those 
who believe it, to set forth the terrors of the 
Lord, and his mercies, in a more striking man- 
ner than otherwise they could; yet it is chiefly 
useful in comforting the people of God, and, in 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 



275 



part relieving them from that bitter anguish 
which their tender minds feel, from the consider- 
ation of the vast numbers that perish; and, 
therefore, may not be so proper for a popular au- 
dience as many other subjects. 

6. The plan of this grand Restoration is so 
vast, includes so many different and seemingly 
contradictory dispensations, that it cannot be 
fliirly stated, and fully defended, in one sermon, 
and especially the objections answered; and 
many persons are not capable of taking in and 
digesting at once, so many subjects as are ne- 
cessary to the understanding of this matter, and 
have not patience to attend to a long series of 
demonstrations, arguments, and proofs; and, 
therefore, this doctrine should not be introduced 
by any man, in any place, unless he has oppor- 
tunity, to give it a fair investigation; and, there- 
fore, I never mention it at all, at my first preach- 
ing in any place; nor unless I have sufficient op- 
portunities to discuss it. 

7 Christ says to his disciples — ^'I have yet 
many things to say unto you; but ye cannot bear 
them now," St. John, xvi. 12. And St. Paul 
says — ^'And I, brethren, could not speak unto 
you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal; even 
as unto babes in Christ: I have fed you with 
milk, and not with meat; for hitherto ye are not 
able to bear it; neither yet now^ are ye able.'' 
1 Cor. iii. 1,2. '^Strong meat belongeth to them 
that are of full age; even those who by reason 
of use, have their senses exercised, to discern 
both good and evil." Heb. v. 14. Therefore, 
as the Saviour and his apostles adapted their sub- 
jects and discourses to the circumstances of 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



their hearers, and treated them in a gentle man- 
ner; so should we Prudence, patience, and 
care, should always be used in discoursing on a 
doctrine so deep and awful as this; and, espe- 
cially, as it hath been so little known of late 
ages. 

8. I would wish to establish well the first 
principles of Christianity, before I meddle with* 
any thing else; and as to the doctrine of the 
Restoration, I would rather that it should seem 
to be naturally inferred from truths alreadjs- 
known, than delivered as an independent sys- 
tem: I, therelore, seldom or ever make it a lead- 
ing point in my discourses; but sometimes lead 
to it, as a natural consequence of what hns 
been said. After all, I would choose that men 
should discover it themselves, by carefiilly read- 
ing the Scriptures, without prejudice, believ- 
ing them to be strictly true; by living in love 
towards God and man; by walking in humilitt. 
often reflecting on their former estate; and con- 
stantly viewing the sufnciency of Christy and tiie 
boundless love of their great Creator; rather 
than to learn it of any man, far less still, of such 
an unworthy worm as I am; 

9. As far as I know my own heart, truth, in 
love is my constant aim. I am unconnected 
with any party; and am not so prejudiced in fa- 
vor of any thing that I hold, but that I would 
willingly be convinced in any thing, by proper 
evidence; and when so convinced, I am ready 
to retract publicly. As, therefore, I do not feel 
myself personally interested to support the sys- 
tem, right or wrong; I have, therefore, dwelt 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 



277 



much less upon it, than most preachers do upon 
their particular sentiments, 

10. When I first embraced these views I was 
obliged to give some account of my reasons; and 
I chose rather to do it by writing than preach- 
ing: Accordingly, I published my sentiments^ 
and answers to many objections; which publica- 
tions being in the hands of those to whom I 
preached, made it less necessary for me to dis- 
course upon those matters in public, or even in 
private, as I could refer to what I had writ- 
ten; and with the same view, I am inclined to 
publish these familiar discourses, which we have 
had together; after v/hich it v/ ill be less neces- 
sary than ever for me to preach the Restoration 
publicly; yet, I will not wholly avoid it at con- 
venient times, and in proper circumstances. 

11. Lastly, as I know so much of the nature 
of man, as to be sensible that he turns, with 
disgust and loathing, from what is perpetually 
crammed down his throat; but relishes that 
which he fails upon, as it were accidentally, 
and comes into by little and little; I have always 
made it a rule never to introduce it, in public or 
private, unless where it was earnestly desired, 
nor ever to continue it long together; and, above 
all, never to question people upon the subject, 
after discoursing upon it; asking them, saying, 
Do you believe it ? &c. Nor would I ever 
wish to press them with the arguments at once, 
and oblige them immediately to yield; as this 
kind of conduct, so far from answering any good 
purposes, commonly sets them against what is 
thus intruded upon them. It is the best way 
to give time and leisure to persons, whom you 

24 



578 



DIALOGUES ON THE 



would wish to convince; and let them exercise 
their own faculties. 

Friend. I must confess that what you have 
advanced is highly satisfactory to me, and I 
trust will be so to many others who may read 
these conversations, which I hope to have the 
pleasure of seeing in print before long; and in 
the mean time, I wish for a blessing to attend 
your labors, and that you may be an instrument 
of much good to mankind in your day and gen- 
eration, and that you may obtain a crown of 
life from the Lord the righteous judge, in the 
day of his appearing. 

Minister. I thank you most kindly for your 
benevolent wishes, I heartily wish the same 
blessing may come to yourself And if I have 
been an instrument of giving you any satisfac- 
tion, let all the glory be to God, but let me have 
an interest in your prayers. 

END OF THE DIALOGUES. 



The following is taken from a course of Leduren 
on ilu Pro'phecies^ by the Reverend Author of 
the preceding Dialogues, 

LECTURE XLII. 

The grand and concluding Scene of Divine Revelation; the 

End of the Mediatorial Kingdom. GOD ALL IN ALL 
1 Cor. XV. 24r-28. 

Then cometh the end, when he shall have 
delivered up the kingdom to God even the Fa- 
ther; when he shall have put down all rule and 
all authority and power. For he must reign till 
he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last 
enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For he 
hath put all things under his feet. But when he 
saith, all things are put under him, it is mani- 
fest that he is excepted who did put all things 
under him. And when all things shall be sub- 
dued unto him, then shall the Son also himself 
be subject unto him that put all things under 
him, that God may be all in all. 

I am now come in the course of these Lec- 
tures, to the grand closing scene: our Saviour's 
resignation of the kingdom delegated to him by 
the Father, after he shall have accomplished all 
the glorious designs for which it was committed 
into his faithful hands. 

This is a very deep, important and interesting 
subject, and I feel myself incapable of doing 
justice to it, but as the Lord has helped me 
hitherto, even beyond my expectation, I trust he 
will not forsake m,e at the close. The grandeur 
of the subject is such as inspires my soul with a 
reverential awe that language would fail to de- 



280 LECTURE. 

scribe. And having employed considerable 
time and attention in the contemplation thereof, 
I feel its consequence and weight in a manner 
that I cannot express. Bat having the unerring 
word of God for my directory here, as I have 
had all along, I shall venture to tread this devi- 
ous path, and endeavor to paint as well as I am 
able, the glorious scene with which the book oi 
divine Revelation closes; Vrhen the blessed 
and glorious Redeemer, having subdued ail 
things to himself, shall resign the kingdom, to 
the Father, that God may be all in all. 

This is the only passage of Scripture that 
contains any intimation of Christ's delivering up 
the kingdom to the Father, but as it was written 
by divine inspiration, this grand event and clo- 
sing scene is by no means to be disputed, or ex- 
plained away. 

In discoursing upon this glorious subject, I 
shall follow the order of the words, and make 
such remarks as may present themselves to my 
mind as I pass along. 

Then comeih the end^ &c. These words teach us 
the important truth that the Mediatorial dispen- 
sation will as certainly come to a period or close, 
as any other dispensation ever did; though it is 
by no means of so short a duration as many take 
it to be. Some make it to end at the second 
coming of Christ; and others immediately after 
the general Judgement: but I have in the course 
of these Lectures given my thoughts so fully 
upon these opinions and the reasons why I can- 
not concur v/ith them, is that I trust I have no 
need to repeat them in this place. We may 
here once more observe, that the word rendered 



LECTURE, 



281 



everlastingy does not signify endless^ even when 
applied to the kingdom of Christ; (as it fre- 
quently is in the scriptures) since here it is pos- 
itively asserted, that there shall be an end to the 
glorious kingdom of the son of God, so often 
called an everlasting kingdom in our translation; 
but vv^hich I humbly apprehend, might better be 
called a kingdom of ages. 

Then cometh the tndy when he shall have deliv- 
ered up the kingdom to God even ih>€ Father; when 
he shall have put down all rule and all authority 
and power. 

He shall deliver up the kingdom to God, even 
the Father; but not until he hath put down all 
rule and authority, and all power. For the king- 
dom was given to him for this very purpose, and 
this he will certainly accomplish, to the praise 
and glory of his name. His engagements he 
must fulfil, according to the nature and tenor of 
the counsel of peace, which w^as betw^een the 
Father and his well beloved Son; for (as tha 
prophet says) "The counsel of peace shall be 
betw^een them both." Zee. vi. 13. And ac- 
cording to the inspired language of Isaiah, there 
seems to have been the nature of a covenant 
between the Father and the Son, which appears 
in his being given for a covenant to the people. 
Chap. xlii. 6. xlix. 8, and the words in Chap, 
liii. 10, 11, are fairly capable of being render- 
ed in such a manner as to make a mutual agree- 
ment evident. If he shall make his soul a sin 
offering, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong 
his days, and the pleasure of Jehovah shall pros- 
per in his hand. He shall see of the travail of 
his soul, and shall be satisfied," kc. 

24* 



282 



LECTURE. 



And the words of Christ himself in St. John, 
vi. 37 J 40, seem very plainly to imply that he 
came down from heaven upon an errand of 
great importance, and which he had engaged to 
execute, nor can he leave any part of his work 
unfinished. 

God the Father having given him all things 
without exception, according to those texts more 
than once already quoted in this work (St. John, 
iii. 35. xiii. 3. xvii. 2, compared with St. Mat- 
thew xi. 27, and St. Luke x. 22) expects that 
the Son of his love will put a final and total end 
to all rebelhon, and bring all the rightful subjects 
of the Almighty Sovereign back again to their 
allegiance. And Jesus evidently considers him- 
self under obligations to perform this great work 
before he delivers up the kingdom to the Father. 
And I cannot but think that he is fully qualified 
for the performance of all that he hath engaged 
to do, and that he will certainly accomplish it. 

For must reign till he hath put all enemies un- 
der his feci. 

It is of absolute necessity that his reign shall en- 
dure until there is no more opposition,no more re- 
bellion, or disobedience, to be found in the wide 
creation. ^ ^Jehovah said unto my Adonai, or Lord, 
Sit thou at my right hand until I make thine en- 
emies thy footstool." Psal. ex. 1. This the 
modern Jews apply to David, but it is certain 
that in our Saviour's time they understood it to 
relate to Christ, or the Messiah, the Son of Da- 
vid, although they v/ere puzzled at our Lord's 
question, and were not able to resolve him how 
the Messiah could be born the son, and J^ord of 
David at the same time. See St. Matt. xxii. 



LECTURE. 



283 



42, 43j 44, 45. St Mark, xii. So, 36, 37. St. 
Luxe, XX. 41, 42, 43, 44. 

And St. Peter applies those words of David 
directly to Jesus, saying, ^^For David is not as- 
cended into the heavens; but he saith himself, 
The Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou on my right 
hand, until I make thy foes thy footstool. There- 
fore let all the liouse of Israel know assuredly, 
that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye 
have crucified, both Lord and Christ.^' Acts, ii. 
34, 35, 36. 

When our blessed Saviour was exalted at the 
Father's right hand according to the Scriptures, 
^ then this promise began to be fulfilled. He was 
then set "Far above all principality and power, 
and might, and' dominion, and every name that 
is named not only in this world (or age) but also 
in that which is to come." And the Father "put 
all things under his feet, and gave him to be the 
head over all things to the church." Ephes. i. 
21, 22. Our Lord "is gone to heaven, and is on 
the right hand of God, angels and authorities, 
and powers being made subject unto him." 1 
Peter, iii. 22. 

Thus ail things were put under him in the 
divine purpose, without exception, but all things 
are not yet put under him in the sense of these 
words in 1 Cor. xv. 25, because it is said that 
he must reip^n till he hath pid all enemies ander 
his feet: which plainly shev>^s that it is not yet 
the case. And the words of the aoostle in 
this epistle to the Hebrews, Heb. ii 8, express 
the same idea, "Thou hast put all things in 
subjection under his feet. For in that he put 
all in subjection under him, he lefl nothing that 



284 



LECTURE. 



IS not put under him; but now we see not yet all 
things put under him." — Here it is evident, that j 
in the purpose of God all things are put under 
Christ, and subjected to him in so universal 
a manner, as there is not the least exception; 
yet it is equally evident that all things 
are not yet actually put under him: the divine : 
counsels, respecting this important matter, are ' 
not fulfilled before the eyes of creatures: but 
they must be. All the enemies of our Lord l 
must come to be subject to him in a sense far i 
different fr^m what ever hath yet taken place; 
and Christ must reign until this grand purpose 
shall be fully accomplished. God says, '^I have 
sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my | 
jnouth in righteousness, and shall not return, i 
That unto me every knee shall bow and every . 
tongue shall swear." Isai. xlv. 23. And the 
apostle St. Paul, after speaking of our dear [ 
Saviour's amazing humiliation even to the death of ' 
the cross, says, ^'Wherefore God algo hath high- 
ly exalted him, and given him a name which is ' 
above every name; that in the name of Jesus ! 
every knee should bow, of things in heaven, ; 
and things in earth, and things under the earth; 
xmd that every tongue should confess that Jesus ■ 
Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." ' 
Phil. ii. 9, 10, 11. When this comes to be ac- i 
tually fulfilled, then it may be truly said, that all 
our Lord's enemies are in the strictest sense | 
put under his feet, but not before; and this is ' 
spoken of by the Apostle as sometliing future, ! 
and far remote. ' 

The last enemrf that shall he desfroyed is Death ; . 
or more properly, D(2af/^, the last cnemij shall he j 
€UstrGyed, \ 



LECTURE. 



285 



There are some who v/ould wish to conrme 
this destruction to the death of the body, or thai 
which is called the natural death; but to me it 
appears^ that every thing that bears the name of 
death in the sacred Scriptures, must be included, 
and is really intended here. Death nnd misery 
of every kind shall be abolished, d3ne away, 
swallowed up in victory, &,c. and nothing but 
life and happiness shall remain. I cannot help 
considering this as the genuine sense and mean- 
ing of the following glorious promises. He 
will swallow up death in victory; and Adonia 
J eliovah will v/ipe away tears from off all fa- 
ces." &.C. Isaiah, xxv. S. 

I will ransom them (even such who perish in 
their iniquity and sin, as is evident from the con- 
text) from the power of the grave: (or hell) I 
v/ill redeem them from death: O death I will be 
thy plagues: O grave (or hell) I will be thy de- 
struction: repentance shall be hid from mine 
eyes." Hosea, xiii. 14. 

^^And God shall v/ipe avray all tears from 
their eyes; and there shall be no more death, 
neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be 
any more pain: for the former things are passed 
away." Rev. xxi. 4. 

Then shall the song of triumph be sung, 
^'Death is swallowed up in victory!" And the 
great and mighty challenge shall be proclaimed 
through all the empire of Jehovah, '^O death, 
where is thy vSting ? O grave (or hell) where is 
thy victory?" 1 Cor. xv. 54, 55. But surely 
while sin, which is the sting of death, is found in 
existence, and while pain, sorrow, crying, &c. 
continue in the universe, it can hardly be said, 



286 LECTURE. 

that death is swallowed up in victory; and while 
the second death lasts, which is certainly the 
most terrihle kind of death, how can it be said, 
O death where is thy sting? and, O grave (or 
hell) v/here is thy victory ? But to me, scarce 
any thing appears more plain, than the certain 
annihilation or total destruction of all that ever 
bore the name of death. Then it may be truly 
said, ^*Where sin abounded, grace did much 
more abound; tliat as sin hath reigned unto death, 
even so hath grace reigned througli righieou?- 
ness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. 
Rom. V. 20, 21. 

But prior to the total destruction of death, 
all other enemies, that is, all rebellious crea- 
tures, shall be humbled, and shall willingly submit 
to Jesus, and be his enemies no longer: for cer- 
tainly at the time when the last enemy shall be 
destroyed, no enemies can remain in the uni- 
verse. 

For ke hath pid all tilings; under his feet: hui 
when he saitk^ Jill things are put imder hhn, it is 
manifest (hat he is excepted who did. put all things 
under him. 

This reasoning of the apostle seems almost 
self evident: for nothing can be more manifest, 
than that he (the eternal Father) who put all 
things under Christ the Son, is himself except- 
ed. Even as Pharaoh said to Joseph, when he 
made him governor or ruler over all the land of 
Egypt. 

Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, 
there is none so discreet and wise as thou art! 
Thou shalt be over miy house, and according to 
thy word shall all my people be ruled; only in 
the throne will I be greater than thou. And 



LECTURE. 



2a7 



Pharaoh said unto Joseph. See I have set thee 
over all the land of Egypt. " And Pharaoh took 
off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Jo- 
seph's hand^and arrayed him in vestures of fine 
linen, and put a gold chain about his neck; and 
he made him to ride in the second chariot v/hich 
he had: and they cried before him, Bow the 
knee; and he made him ruler over all the land 
of Egypt. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I 
am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift 
up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt." 
Gen. xli. 39—44. 

The whole of this transaction was a wonderful 
type, and a most beautiful illustration of the sub- 
ject now upon. 

Pharaoh set up Joseph over the land of Egypt 
because there was none so discreet and wise as 
he was, that understood the matter so well, was 
so competent to every part of the business, and 
that would be so faithful and diligent in the dis- 
charge of the same. — Pharaoh in choosing Jo- 
seph, and placing him over all the land, shewed 
his own wisdom and discernment to be great 
Even so the wisdom and goodness of God shone 
conspicuously in placing his dear Son in so glo- 
rious and important a situation. For where is 
there one in heaven or earth worthy to be named 
iu comparison with Jesus ?^so prudent, so wise, 
so faithful, so just, so competent to every part of 
his work? The Father hath therefore entrusted 
him with all the concerns of the v. ide extended 
universe, as Pharaoh did Joseph with the land of 
Egypt, and all things therein. 

Pharaoh gave Joseph full power, and unlimit- 
ed and absolute authority over all his people, but 
excepted himself, in the same manner as the 



288 



LECTURE. 



Apostle declares the Father to be excepted. 
li is rnaiiifest that he is excepted who dkl put all 
ihino's under him. 

But this exception being expressly made 
(thC'iigh it was evidently implied in the nature of 
the thing) plainly shews that none else can pos- 
sibly be excepted, whether things in heaven, 
things on earth, or things under the earth. 
Christ is truly and really over all, (the Father 
onl y excepted ) God b Jesse d f rre ver. Rom . i x . 
5. ' 

All are put under him in the most absolute 
and universal manner, and all are commanded to 
bov/ the knee to him, as the Egyptians were 
commanded to bow the knee before Joseph. To 
Jesus Christ the Saviour, every knee shall 
surely bov/, and every tongue shall certainly 
confess him Lord. 

When all the land of Egypt was famished, 
the people cried to Pharaoh for bread; and 
Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto 
Joseph, what he saith to you do." Gen. xli. 55. 
So the Father, having gis en all things into the 
hands of Christ, and committed all authority 
and judgem^ect to him. directeth all mankind to 
look to him for salvation; his language is, ''Go 
to Jesus; whatsoever he saith to you do it. Be- 
lieve on Jesus, see that ye refuse not him that 
speaketh; if ye will hear his voice, harden not 
your hearts." God requires all men to heark- 
en to Jesus, raid to do his will without murmur- 
ing or disputing, upon pain of his severe dis- 
T-leasure. The Son of God is appointed to be 
the universal Lord and ruler over all, and all 
shall submit to him at last. 



I! 



LECTURE. 



Joseph had the absolute disposal of all the 
Egyptians and all their affairs, both by the ap- 
pointment of Pharaoh, and also by their own 
consent, as appears by the story at large; so the 
blessed Jesus has absolute authority over all ra- 
tional creatures, by the Father's appointment 
and good pleasure, and shall finally have domin- 
ion over all by their voluntary submission and 
free consent. So that the administration of Jo- 
seph over the land of Egypt, was one of the 
most lively pictures of the universal government, 
authority and dominion of Christ that can b© 
found, and applies beautifully in almost every 
instance. 

^ And when all things shall be subdued tmto him^ 
then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him 
that put all things under him, thai God may be aU 
in all. 

The time, the glorious time will come when aU 
thing shall be willingly subject to the Son of God^ 
and shall submit to his control : as has been, I 
think, plainly proved in the foregoing course of 
Lectures. When this event takes place, and 
there is not an enemy remaining in all the uni- 
verse, then shall the Son of God deliver up the 
kingdom to the Father, in the most grand, glori-^ 
ouSj and honorable manner, and be himself also 
subject to him that put all things under hm^ 
that God may be all in alL 

Some are apt to say, that if Christ shou-ld re- 
sign the kingdom to the Father, and become 
subject to him that put all things under him,, that, 
his character would be thereby lower-ed and 
brought down. But I must declare that I think 
quite the reverse: even that his charactej: willj 
25 



290 



LECTURE. 



be exalted in the highest and most glorious man- 
ner. For let me ask any one, when did Joseph 
appear to most advantage ? whether when he had 
the government of Egypt committed to his 
hands, and went forth invested with absolute au- 
thority over the whole land ? or when after sus- 
taining that high office for twice seven years, 
and doing all things well, to the full content of 
both the king and the people, he came loaded 
with honor and glory, and resigned the govern- 
ment of Egypt again to Pharaoh, who had giv- 
en it to him ? 

When he went forth he was glorious, but when 
he had finished his work how much more glori- 
ous and honorable did he appear? — or to men- 
tion a recent instance, fresh in the memory - of 
man, when did General Washington appear 
most grand and exalted? when the command of 
the American army was given to him by the free 
choice of the people ? or when after eight years 
enduring the fatigues of war, and taking part 
with his soldiers in all their dangers and si^ffer- 
ings, and beholding his labors and designs crown- 
ed with success he came amidst the acclamations 
of the people, and resigned his great and weigh- 
ty commission to that august body from whom he 
received it? Was he less loved, honored and 
esteemed by all the people when he laid down 
than when he received the important trust ? 
Nay, was he not much more so? how much su- 
perior did he appear in that awful day than he 
had ever done before in any period of his life! 
But what are either of these instances, though 
grand and glorious in themselves, compared with » 
the astonishing event and overpowering subject, I 



LECTURE. 



291 



on which I am treating ? Is it possible for im- 
agination itself, in its utmost stretch, on its most 
lofty and towering wingj to conceive the glory 
and majesty of that great day, far remote, and 
distant from human view, a,nd only known to Je- 
hovah, when Christ the Son of God, having 
subdued, humbled, gathered together in one, or 
reheaded, reconciled and restored all things; 
and having completely finished the great work 
that he undertook, shall approach the sacred 
throne of the Father, attended by the countless 
millions of his redeemed and reconciled crea- 
tures, and resigning the kingdom into his hands 
who gave him power over all things , shall as- 
sume with awful dignity a new character, which 
is expressed by the Apostle, by being also him- 
self subject to him that put all things under him, 
that God may be all in all ? 

I have ventured far aUeady, but cannot feel 
myself willing to qmt thd subject, without once 
more endeavoring to represent its beauties in 
the form of a speech, which I trust will not be 
altogether unworthy of the Son of God to ^ufter 
in the presence of his Father, and all the heav- 
enly hosts on that resplendent day. 

Speech of the King of kings and Lord of 
lords, upon his resigning his Imperial Dignity to 
God the Father, having forever put down all 
rule, and authority, and power. 

^^My Father and my God, behold me, and the 
numerous children which thou hast given me, as 
the reward of my labor, and the fruit of my pain. 
I have at length subdued all my enemies, and 
brought them freely and heartily to submit to my 
sceptre. Long and severe was the struggle, 



292 



LECTURE. 



and many that loved me doubted whether 1 
should ever so far prevail as to bring my greatest 
enemies to be my friends; but I have succeeded 
according to thy will^ and thy glorious purposes. 
Thou didst create all to glorify thy name, to en- 
joy thy love, and to be happy in beholding the 
light of thy countenance, and when some of thy 
creatures fell from their first estate, thou didst 
appoint me to reclaim and restore them. 

'^Father, the long expected time is at last ar- 
rived, when thy Son having accompished thy de- 
signs, approaches thy throne to resign his king- 
dom to thee. Thou didst give him power over 
all, and he hath given eternal life to all which 
thou gavest him. All that thou, O Father, 
gavest me,' have at length willingly returned un- 
to me, and behold I present them before thee 
thi3 day, reconciled to thee, to me, and to each 
other. See, my Father, and behold throughout 
this mighty throng, there is not one knee but 
what bows in the most cordial manner, not a 
tongue but is ready to shout thy praise, nor an 
heart that doth not overflow with love to thee. 
All are thy willing and obedient subjects, reclaim- 
ed from all their evil ways, and forever confirm- 
ed in the purest habits of goodness. Look, my 
Father, through the wide extended universe, 
for thou beholdest all thy works in every situ- 
ation with the utmost ease, see, there is not one 
rebellious creature to be found! Where sin once 
reigned and abounded, grace now reigns and 
abounds much more. All confusion and disorder 
cow destroyed, the whole creation exhibits one 
great scene ©f peace, harmony, and divine order. 
All creatures are now wholly delivered from the 



LECTURE. 



293 



bondage of corruption, into the glorious liberty of 
the children of God. All things in the universe 
are gathered together in one, are reconciled to 
thy government, and conformed to thine image 
and shall never more go astray. Sin, sorrow, cry- 
ing, pain, and death shall never more be known 
in thy extensive empire. Thou shalt be all, and 
in all. Thy subjects no longer need a Mediator, 
they are all righteous and holy, and capable of 
beholding thy face with joy. I have seen the 
travail of my soul, and am forever satisfied. 
Thou hast fulfilled all thy promises to me in the 
completest manner, I have also performed my 
words to all my people, whom I have redeemed 
to thee, and from this day resign them to thee. 
Now they are all one, as thou Father and I are 
one; one spirit rules in them all, they have all 
the same designs, even to glorify thy name, and 
promote the happiness of each other. 

'^Thou art now all in all, and let all thy 
works praise thee. 

"Thy glory shall endure for ever, thou shalt 
rejoice in all thy works. This is the scene which 
completes that joy which was set before me, 
for which I endured the cross, despising the 
shame. 

"To this bright and glorious day I directed my 
view; I beheld all things put under me, I saw, 
beyond the darkness and obscurity of sin, pain, 
and death, the glorious day of light arise on all 
thy creatures. 

"It is come, it is come, this is the day I looked 
for. The night is forever past, and eternal 
day is risen upon all creation, to set no more. 
Shout, O Heavens, it is done, it is done. Let all 
25* 



1194 



LECTURE. 



creatures adore thee, for this is the display of thy 
glorious, wise and gracious designs. 

^'Thou didst entrust me v/ith the execution of 
thy wonderous plan, and this I have completed. 
Henceforth I resign the kingdom to thee; be thou 
thyself the Lord over all. 

^^In my whole process I have always been an 
example to all my flock, of which I am still, and 
shall remain, the Shepherd and head, I will there- 
fore shew an example to all thy creatures that 
shall never be forgotten, which shall forever con- 
firm thy authority over them; behold, I lay my 
sceptre and my crown at thy feet, and profess be- 
fore all the hosts of heaven, and the numerous 
armies that acknowledge my sway, that great 
and m.ighty as I am, I am subject unto thee. I 
bow myself before thine awful throne, I submit 
to thee as all thy creatures have voluntarily sub- 
mitted to me. Behold me as the head of all prin- 
cipality and power, and with me behold all thy 
creatures submit andbowtothy sovereign sway." 

Here the scene of divine revelation closes, 
God is all in all. I can go no further. The 
astonishing subject drinks up all my spirits ! I am 
lost and [swallowed up in the vast unbounded 
<)cean of love ! 

O let my soul absorbed be. 

While God doth me surround \ 
As a small drop in the vast sea 

Is lost and can't be found ! 

^^Alleluia, for the Lord God Omnipotent reign- 
^glh;" and he shall reign forever and ever. Amen, 



INDEX 



?Ko ti)c Ktttn nmwa mn xttticvt'a to. 



Chap. 



u 
iii 



^111 

xvii 

xviii 

xli 

xlviii 

xlix 



Tl 

xvi 

XXV 



XIV 
XX 

xxiii 

XXV 



GENESIS. 
Verse. 
17 
4 
15 
19 

14 to 17 
7, 8, 13 
14 

39 to 44 
3,4 



Page. 
190 
148, 180 
192 
18i;i93 
259; &c. 
57 
132 
287, &c. 
57 
58 



EXODUS. 
15 



58. 69 



LEVITICUS 
13 105, 221 





1 SAMUEL. 




Chap. 


Verse, 


Page, 


ii 


1 to 12 


59 




27 to 36 1 


9, &c. 


iii 


11 to 14 


69 


xxii 


19 


60 




1 KINGS, 




ii 


27 


60 




2 KINGS. 




xxii 


17 


106 




JOB. 




iii 


2 to 19 


137 


iv 


18 


248 



34 
10. 29,30 



58, 69 
251, &c. 



NUMBERS. 

n 

19 

11 to 13 



216 
216 
162 



Vll 

viii 



DEUTERONOMY, 
Txix, 23 



XI 

xiii 
xiv 

XV 

xviii 
xix 

XX 

59 xxii 
xxiii 
xxvi 
xxvii 

107 



13 to 15 
18, 19 
20 

15, 16 

15 
14 

25 to 27 
27 

2.5 254,. 
10 to 12 
10 
6 

8,9 



225 
23i, &c. 

138 
231, 4.e. 
13B 
225 
248 
231, &c. 

138 
231 ,&c. 
&>c.266,4'C 
138 
64 
138 

231, 



296 



INDEX. 



Chap. Verse. Page, 

xxxiv 36 220, &.c. 

XXXV 6, to 8 254, &C.267 

xxxvi 18, to 21 221, &c. 



11 

xvi 

XXV 

xxxiv 
xHx 

Ixii 
Ixix 
Ixxviii 

Ixxxiii 

xciii 

xcv 

xcvi 

cii 

civ 

cvii 
cix 



PSALMS. 
8 211 
2,3 254, &c. 266 
14 191, &c. 

16, 17 235, &c. 258 
' 223 
220 
135 
144 
66 
236, 
258 
66 
216 
66 
66 
66 
82 

10.16.42,43 131,&c. 
8 144 



6 to 9. 15 
19 
12 
25 
69 

13 to 18 



1 

11 
10 

25,26 
5 
33 



104, 

;48. 





17, 18 


232, &c. 


cx 


1 


282 


cxli 


5 


203 


cxlv 


8 to 10 


132, 153 


cxlvi 


2 


82 


cxlviii 


6 


66 




PROVERBS. 


i 


24 to 31 


232, ifec. 


ill 


35 


104 


X 


28 


231, &c. 


xi 


7. 23 


232, &c. 


xxix 


1 


232, &c. 


J 

ECCLESIASTES. ] 


i 


4 


66 J 


vi 


3 to 6 


143 J 


▼iii 


11 


1S5 1 


ix 


1 to 6 


228, &c. 



Page, 
224, &c. 
224, 

229 




INDEX. 



297 



JEREMIAH. 



Chap. 


Verse. 


Page. 


iv 


4 


106 


Tii 


7 


65 




20 


106, &c. 


Tiii 


11 


148, &c. 


xvi 


18 


269 


xvii 


27 


106 


XX 


11 


104 




11 to 18 


139, ^c. 


xxi 


12 


106 


xxii 


24 


« 254 


xxiii 


17 


148, ^c. 








XXV 


5 


65 


xxviii 


8 


72 


XXX 


12 to 17 


218, &c. 


xxxi 


3 


167 




18 


237, &c„ 


xxxii 


27 


132, 242 


EZEKIEL. 


xiii 


21 


148, &c. 


XV i 


42 


238 




44 to 63 


207, &c. 




52 to 63 


258,&c.268 




59 to 63 


104, &c. 


XX 


46 to 48 


106, &c. 


xxiv 


13 


.238 


xxxvi 


10 


207 




31,32 


105 




34,35 


107 


xxxvii 


12 to 14 


207 


xxxviii 


8 


107 




20 


72 


xxxix 


4 to 12 


101, &c. 




25, 28 


207 


xlvii 


8 to 11 


260 



Chap. 



Til 
IX 

xii 



DANIEL, 
35 

18. 27 

27 

2 



HOSEA, 
Verse. Page. 
6. 9, 10 119 
2.4. 19 to 23 2l9,^c, 
14 118, 285 



AMOS. 

2 
7 
6 

JONAH. 
6 



255 
192 
106 



CI 



HABAKKUK. 
6 60. 71 



I 

vi 

X 

xiv 



ZECHARIAH. 
16 
13 
11 
16 

MALACHl. 
2,3 
18 



107 

281 
130 
101 



m 

247 



WISDOM OF SOLOMON. 



XI 

xii 

XV 



161,244 
74 
105 
64 



vu 
ix 

X 



23. 26 
1,2. 16 
1,2 

MATTHEW 
44 

44. 48 
12 to 15 

20 

21 to2S 
2 
15 
28 
87 



153 
153 
153 



175 
172 
173 
18 

253, (S.C. 
167 
261 
256 

m 



298 



INDEX. 



Chap. 

xii 
xviii 

xiz 

xxii 
xxiii 
xxiv 

xxy 



xxviii 



111 

V 

vi 
iz 



X 

xi 

xii 

xiii 

xiv 

xvi 



IX 

x 



XI 

xii 



V^erse. 

24 

27 

31,32 
8 

21. 33 

24 
28 

42 to 43 

38,39 

19 

45 to 51 
11, 12 

34 

41. 46 

24 

18, 19 



33; 



Page. 
261 
211, 282 
112, ^c. 
54 
173 
152, 4-0. 
144 
282 
206 
141 
255 
233, Si'c. 
73 

54,71,73 
135, 4«c. 
, 197, 212 



Chap. 



XI V 

xvi 
xviii 

XX 

xxi 
xxii 
xxiii 
xxiv# 



MARK 
27 

28, 29 
7 
11 

9, 10 
81,32 
43 to 49 
49 
25 

25, 26 

35 to 37 

17 

21 

15 



54 



93 

, 112, &c. 
93 
261 
196 
195,&c. 
99, 

110 

132, &c 
173 
282 
141 

135, &c. 
197 



LUKE. 
37 

27. 36 
37 

44, 45 
12 
22 
4 
10 

32, 33 
47,48 



132 
172 
173 
195 
261 
211,282 
173 
112, &c. 
81 

134,255,263 



Vll 

viii 
ix 

X 

xi 
xii 
xiii 

xiv 

XV 

xvi 
X7ii 



Verse. 
25 to 28 
35 
26 

19 to 31 
25 

35, 36 
41 to 44 
23 

29,^30 
27 to 31 
46 to 48 

JOHN. 
16,17 152 
35 211.243,282 
G6 183, 
25 to 29 212 
37 243 
37 to 40 209,4x.282 



Page. 
233, &c. 
206 
123 
123, &c. 
132, 4x, 
80, ^c. 

282 
141, ^c, 
73 
141 
197 



to 2i 



45 
50 
57 
17 
34 
21 
4 

27 to 29 
25,26 
32 
3 

33. 36 
19 

4 to 10 
12 

2,3 

9 to 23 
8,9 

ACTS. 

8 

20 

34, to 36 



214 

81 
84 
177 
205 
205 
230 
81 
81 
214 
211, 282 
206 
83, 247 
83 
275 
213, 2Si 
155, ^c. 
196, ^c. 



197 
144 
283 



INDEX, 



299 



Chap. 



Ill 

iv 



vii 
viii 



Verse. 
21 

9 to 17 
40 to 42 



Page. 
67 
197 
126 



ROMANS 
18 
4 
6 

8,9 
8 
19 

8 to 21 
6 to 10 
15, 16. 19 

20,21 ^ 

12,13 
17. 20 
8 to 13 
6,7 
16,17 
17, 18 
21, 22 
35 to 39 
6 
13 

25, 26 

8 to 10 

9 to 36 



25, 26. 32 

36 
1 

8 to 10 
9 



183 
151 
263 
183 
189 
247 
242 
158 
95 

121, 185, 
270, 286 
157 
126 
185 
119 
83 
253 

95, l-c. 103 
83 
288 
122 
207 
246 
145 
206, 4^c. 



244: 

157 
178, ^c. 
129 



1 CORINTHIANS. 



i 


28, 29 


199, &c. 


iii 


1, 2 


275 


vi 


19, 20 


157 


rii 


23 


157 


xi 


3 


87 


xii 


3 


76 



Chap, 
xiv 



11 
iii 
iv 



Verse. 
38 

22 

24 to 

26 
27 
28 

54, 55 
56 



Page. 
245, &c. 
181, ^c, 245 
98 5 68,73, 
I 279; &c. 
118 
92, 94 
95 
285 
118 



2 CORINTHIANS. 
17 81 
5 84 
10 263 
14, 15 154, 157 

GALATIONS, 

19 185 
14 178, &c. 

EPHESIANS. 

3 to 11 190,&c,161 



9 to 11 
10 

13, 14 

21, 22 
1 

Itoll 
8 to 10 

30 

31,32 



77,&c. 243 
87 
84 

93, 283 
180, ^c. 212 
198 
130 

84 
203 



PHILIPPIANS. 

9 to 11 75, ^c, 284 

10 87 
10, 11 242, 4.C. 
21 95 



COLLOSSIANS 
15 to 20 
19, 20 



96 
78 



300 



INDEX. 



Chap, 
i 



Verse* 
20 

21 

25 to 27 
10 
15 
4 

12 to 15 



Page. ChajK 
87,243 " 
244 

197, 

87 
130 
84, 253 
203 



1 THESSALONIANS. 

i 10 67, ^'C, 

2 THESSALONIANS. 

i 7 to 9 54, ^c. 

9 256. 

1 TIMOTHY, 

ii 1 to 7 174 
3, 4 161 
4 243 
3. 6 154 

ir 9 to 11 174,4-c. 272 



XI 

xii 



Vll 

ix 



S TIMOTHY. 
20, 21 
1 

TITUS. 
11 

HEBREWS. 



248 
127 



273 



i 


8 




68 




it 




91, 

94, 


4*c. 


iii 




•s 


283 




9 


154 


iv 




9, 10 




94 


V 




14 


118, 


4^c. 






14, 15 




130 




iii 


11. 18, 


19 


216 




iY 


3. 6 




216 




V 


14 




275 




yi 


4 to 6 




113 





Verse. Page 

17, IS 161 

12 to 18 6& 

16 85 

10 58 

12, IS 67 

26 to 29 11^ 

34 81 
20 122 . 251 

8 80 

15tol7{i22,256,|c: 
29 

1 PETER. 

4 80 
13, 19 157 
18 to 20 124 
22 93, 125,283 
5, 6 124 
4 80 



2. PETER, 

6 

20 to 22 
5 to 12 
7 to 12 

9 

13 

1 JOHN. 
1,2 
10 

24. 28 
1,2 

8 

16.19 
9 toll 

16 

JUDE 

4 

6, 7 

7 



258 
255 
63 
72 
151 
63, ^c. 



154 
175 

83 

84, 253 
118 
152 
272 
114 



189 
2^8 



INDEX. 



301 



REVELATION. 
Chap. Verse. Page. 

i 17, 18 124 

ii 7.10,11.17.26 252 

26,27 73 

iii 4,5.11,12.21 262 
12 84 
21 73 

V 13 78 

xiv 6 60, ^c. 

10,11 102,257, ^c. 

11 62 64 

XVI 9 toll 237 

-20 72 
xvii 14 101,252 



Chap, 
xviii 



Verse. 


Page^ 


7 


134 


3 


62 


19 


101 


10 


62 


11 


66, 72 


14 


63 


1 


63, 66 


4 


119 188, 285 


4,5 


63 


7 


252 


25 


64 


11 


244, ^c. 


18, 19 


249 



LISTS OF REFERENCES. 



Reference, to the Phrase, forever, in the Old Testa- 
ment, - - - - 61 
to aionios, in St. John's Gospel, - - 80 
to texts proving God to be the Crea» 

tor of all, - ■ - 150 

to texts in which Christ forewarned his 

disciples of his resurrection, - 196 
to promises of reward to benefactors of 

the poor, - » . 226, Src, 
to texts in Ezekiel, in which the Jewa 
were threatened with severe punish- 
ments followed by signal bless- 
ings, " = - 236,4^6. 



o 0 




Y 0 



^ .0 H 0 ^ V 



> 



.0^ 



■ ^^^^ 



